The Redemption of The Snow Queen a OUAT WHAT IF Tale
by Queen Awinita
Summary: "You are the only link we have to Mother, I promise you Aunt Ingrid, I will return for this urn, I will free you, and we will all be free of the Imp's influence once and for all" With those words, Elsa unwillingly traps her aunt Ingrid in the magic urn and escapes the Dark Vault; but it is a trial by fire for Elsa, and her choices will reshape the Enchanted Forest for ever
1. Chapter 1

The Redemption of the Snow Queen

A Once Upon a Time WHAT IF Tale

Part 1

**Mysthaven**

**Dark Ones Castle**

**Dark Vault**

**21 December**

Wrong.

That was the only word floating through Ingrids fear frozen mind as she stood in the center of the Dark Ones Vault.

Everything that transpired the last three weeks was wrong.

All of it

Anna had explained herself carefully to Elsa, concerning the hat and what she was going to do with it. Hide it, bury it, anything so that thrice damned _imp_ wouldn't get his hands on it again. Ingrid saw the love between the two girls was strong, much like her with her sisters before her mistake.

But that was when the last three weeks just began to fall apart when Elsa still showed anger towards her sister for keeping the truth from her about the hat. And after seeing the hat box even activate at any presence of magic near it to begin with. It scared the young queen fircely. Enough to cause a mini blizzard within the castle library. Ingrid imedieatly dispelled the hat. Giving it to Anna, Elsa requested the hat either be burned or buried or just hidden away. Anything to keep the nightmares from happening.

Ingrid knew those nightmares all too well. Inside the urn for twenty years, and yet she looked no older than twenty six! And Elsa was twenty three! Three years younger than herself! But Ingrid did not feel that old. But she felt the bond between the two girls, queen and princess, it was strong enough to see it visibily before her.

So why was she standing in the Dark Ones' massive Dark Vault, hugging the urn as if her life depended on who was locked inside it ? Because she had made her choice. Promising Anna that she'd bring back Elsa, the young Queen of Arendelle, back home, alive, safe, free forever, and unharmed. Ingrid however knew they would both not be able to get out of the Dark Ones Vault. One of them would have to stay behind.

Finally after a very long moment, Ingrid nodded to herself, her choice was made. Unsealing the urn she poured out the blue liquid that formed into her niece, prone on the floor, Elsa was weeping. Setting the urn aside Ingrid knelt next to Elsa, the younger girls body shook violently as she wept. "Elsa, Elsa its Ok. You're Ok, you're safe!" Elsa said nothing, hugging Ingrid tightly, still crying a river. Ingrid just hugged her niece tightly, letting Elsa weep as long as the young queen needed. Oh how she missed it when her sister Idun or Helga did the same when they needed an arm to lean on. But Idun was lost at sea, and Helga...

No! Ingrid told herself, No, Helga wasn't dead, it was impossible! But was it ?

For long moments there was no sound within the dark ones vast vault. The only sound was of Elsas crying. Finally the young queen slowly got a grip on herself and looked around, with a shuddering gasp she stared at the strange artefacts around her. Her eyes fell on a item, that looked alarmingly similar to something her mother once had a painting of.

She felt hands around her, Her aunt was there holding her! "Aunt Ingrid ?" Elsa asked.

"Yes, Elsa, its me. I tricked the dark one into thinking the urn he had in here was fake, for the moment at least, I'm not sure how long it will last. We have to get you home to Anna before she gets it in her head to come after us both. Come on." Ingrid helped Elsa to her feet, the young queen stumbled slightly as she slowly regained her balance. Ingrid helped her stand up. Moving over to a chair Elsa sat down. Running a hand through her hair she saw she still wore the gloves.

Ripping the gloves off her hands she threw them aside as snow floated off her fingertips freely, never to be contained again, "How long was I in there ?" She asked, she tried to stand back up, but her head and vision swam and forced her to sit back down heavily.

"Three weeks." Ingrid said, Elsa was horrified, she sat back in the chair, seemingly defeated, three weeks of nothing but fear, memories swarming around her, and her crying. Trying to drown them all out. "Anna was worried sick when you disappeared but she gave advice of what to do once I found you." Ingrid replied. She recounted what had occurred three weeks before. "Its a little long, but I'll do my best to explain as best I can remember." Ingrid said, at Elsas icey look she began her tale, trying to keep it brief because she had no idea how long her lie would hold up to Rumplestiltskin.

**Arendelle**

**Three weeks before**

**1 December**

Anna, with Khristoff and Jukes -Elsas personal bodyguard- help, finally broke the door to the library open and the two men fell to the floor as the floor was slick with ice. The window was broken open and her aunt sat against it on the floor weeping. "Elsa ?!" Anna shrieked. Looking for her sister frantically through the many bookshelves in the room.

Ingrid was vaugly aware of Juke coming to her and helping her to a chair at a desk, Ingrid merely set her forehead on the desk top and just sat there and sobbed. It was so wrong, completely wrong. All of it! She wanted a family that loved her, and after seeing that bond between her nieces, she wanted to be a part of it, with them both. But then ihe/i showed up while the two of them, her and Elsa were trying something concerning the gloves. And heat.

And the Imp, the trice goddamned imp, Rumplestiltskin, showed up out of nowhere. Scaring the wits out of Elsa at his arrival It was all Ingrid could do to keep the younger woman calm as she tried to reason with the imp, but to no avail. Rumple had something that belonged to Anna, a partly magically damaged necklace, Elsa gave a sharp cry at the sight of the silver necklace and glared daggers at the imp, who smirked at her.

Taunting her niece he said "Your sister came to visit, your parents too." He said, Elsa just glared icey dagges at him as he acted as if he owned the place. "You see, when your parents came to me oh... how long ago was it, five years ago now, maybe six years ? No ? Doesnt really matter anyhow. They came to me asking me for help about. Well, you of course." He said to Elsas unasked question.

"Help with what ? What about my niece ?" Ingrid said stepping between the imp and Elsa, working to keep Elsa out of his view and take whatever was to be thrown at the young queen of Arendelle.

Rumplestiltskin ignored Ingrid, "Why, your powers of course. They wanted me to strip you of your magic. I told them that I personally was unable to do such a thing. But I did give them some information. But, I see that it was unable to be seen through now wasn't it my dear Ingrid ? I see you still have the gloves after so long as well." Elsa just glowered at him and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh don't give me that look dearie. There is something that you should know about your auntie here." Rumple gave Ingrid a knowing look, the horrified expression on her aunts face prompted the question to be asked.

"What ? Did mother come to you ? Aunt Ingrid, what is going on ? What do I not know ?" Elsa asked, turning her aunt around to face her, confusion was clearly seein in the young queens bright sapphire eyes. Confusion and horror of some truth she did not want to know, but felt she needed to know.

Ingrid was torn, tell the truth, or lie, tell the truth, or lie, she told the truth. "Your mother, Idun came to me, where she hid the urn. She let me out. And asked me if it were possible for me to remove your powers, you were an infant at the time. I refused. I said that if it was the price of magic, then there was no going back on it. I even offered to teach you. But Idun refused to listen or even think on my offer, and trapped me in the urn again. And then you found it and that one lad set me free."

"Prince Hans, yes, I remember." Elsa said, her eyes wanting to know more, her heart already dreading what she was being told. "But why did mother trap you again rather than take up your offer to teach me ?"

"I can answer that." Rumps spoke up from where he'd suddenly sat at the long table in the library, dangerously close to Elsa, which prompted Ingrid to move her niece away from the table and half step in front of Elsa between the imp and the young queen once more. "I even made your parents an offer, but they refused, so I let them leave at the time. But when they found the urn after so long. A little after your birth I hear in fact. It got me to thinking; if they ever found someone or something able to strip another of their magic. I'd want to meet such a person or possess such an item. But your aunt here refused to even think of such a notion. So I simply continued searching on my own. At least until your sister showed up at my castle; you see, when your parents died, they were looking for something. A hat. But what they did not know was what the hat did."

"It strips magic from a person, making them powerless, grants it to others." Elsa said, Ingrid shook her head.

"No, it does worse then that; if you're lucky, then you're just powerless after it takes your powers, otherwise, it sucks you in, powers and all, and traps you inside it, living for ever inside the hat as a star on it until released. That's not the fate I would have wanted for you, for my family, anyone in my family to suffer." Ingrid said. Ok, those words made Elsa just a bit more nervous and caused snow to start to fall inside the library.

"That is interesting, a blizzard, in the middle of summer, inside the room, amazing." Rumple stood from the chair, ambling over to the urn on the mantle he picked it up. "Now then, I have things I must do. Say hello to your sister for me my dear, I've got a date." He opened the urn and pointed it at Ingrid. Freaked out, Ingrid backpedaled quickly and reached out to keep Elsa from getting ensnared, but she was too slow as Elsa jumped between her and the imp. And the opened urn, which sought out the magic directly in front of it. To defend her.

The magical urn sought out Elsas icey powers, and it found her.

"No! You can't have her!" Elsa shrieked, intending only to defend her aunt, as the pull of the magical urn suddenly grabbed her! Struggling as hard as she could against the pull of the urn Elsa stared, horrified at the grim, dark, forboding smile on the imps face, and then she stared in complete slackjawed horror at her hands turning into pale blue liquid right before her eyes, the gloves; her hands, her dress sleeves. Elsa felt her body turning into the liquid as it went up her arms and down her body, turning her into pale blue jelly like liquid and sucked into the urn.

Ingrid stared, horrified at what just happened as Rumplestiltskin set the top on the urn as soon as Elsa was within it. "Ah, what a bummer, was hoping to grab you again, as you had greater control, greater power, but alas, I must go. Good day to you Ingrid, give my regards to the princess!"

With that Ingrid shrieked one word, "Drittsekk!" and jumped for the Imp and grabbed the urn from his hands, backing up quickly, holding the urn tightly to her chest. "You can't have either of us!" She hissed madly at him, throwing ice at the imp. He ducked aside and grabbed something from the fireplace mantle where he had set it when he picked up the urn.

It was Annas snowflake necklace.

He smiled as he held it up, the partly melted silvertine necklace Elsa had seemingly created and given to her sister as a wedding gift. "I have this now; Its all I need then, unless you want the princess out in the hall free of any marks placed upon her by othres. I suggest you give me the urn and who is in it." Rumplestiltskin said calmly. He held out Annas half melted necklace in a way of trade. Ingrid was torn, she did not want to give up Elsa, nor did she want Anna to be in torment of the imp either.

For a long moment there was silence, with only the clamoring at the door to try and open the magically locked thing. Finally, as if not thinking or acting of her own accord, Ingrid slowly held out the urn containing Elsa within it, a tear in her eye. The imp smiled, tossing the necklace to Ingrid, he swiftly snagged the urn from her hands and disappeared in purple smoke and the window exploded out into the courtyard below.

Ignoring the tossed necklace, Ingrid ran to the window and stared out, watching the purple mist float away and disapper, and then she sat at the window on the floor crying at the mistake she had made until Juke helped her to the desk.

While searching the library for her sister, Anna spotted her necklace on the floor, it was damaged, and picked it up. Turning towards her aunt she asked her, "Where's Elsa ? I heard her scream something. Then the window exploded but nobody was on the ground outside. What happened ?"

"Rumplestiltskin happened." Ingrid said sadly. She explained the entire event, the horrifieid look on Elsas face as the urn sucked her in; the helpless feeling Ingrid had when she could do nothing to stop Elsa from being pulled in. the smug grin on the imps face. All of it.

Anna reeled backwards from the news. Her sister was gone, a prisoner of the urn, just like her aunt once was! And Rumplestiltskin had it. "No! He promised! He broke the deal! He promised!"

"What deal ? He said you went to him, what deal are you talking about ?" Ingrid asked, her pale green eyes bloodshot from so much crying.

"When I got the hat from him, I had his dagger at the same time. Its the only thing that can let anyone control him, I made him swear to me that he'd never come here, he'd never harm me or Elsa, or even think of harming the man who originally guarded the hat." Anna said, "He broke the deal by coming here! And now he's got my sister, I want her back!" Anna was clearly unhappy.

"As far as I am aware its two weeks by sea to the dark castle. Or at least misthavens borders." Ingrid said, she flicked her wrist and called forth a few maps to the table. "When you traveled there where did you go, what path did you take ? Who did you meet ? Where did you stay ?"

Anna recounted the entire trip, including her encounter with Bo Peep. Ingrid snickered, "That stupid warlord and she even branded you too ? Seriously ? Damn; this is not going to go well then. I will have to do this myself. Rumple ment to trap me in the urn for something, but Elsa took my place as his victim, she tried to protect me, and ended up trapped." Ingrid said.

"Why ?" Anna asked suddenly out of the blue.

"Because I'm family ?" Ingrid replied in a confused tone.

"No I mean, why did he want you ?" Anna clearified her words carefully. "If rumple was after you, why ? What did he want you for ?"

"He said I had greater control, better knowledge or some such." Ingrid replied, "Concerning my powers of course. Just calling these maps here; I can do it, just not with ice or snow"

"So he wanted you, but got my sister instead when she jumped to your defense ?" Anna said, she sat across from her aunt, piling over the maps and charts carefully. "Its two weeks to Mysthaven by sea, I spent two days just getting to his castle alone. Once inside the place is a maze."

"I've been there beore, as had your mother as well." Ingrid replied, recounting the very scary scene she and her sisters had gone through first as children when she first discovered her icey magic, then as younger mature adults looking for someone to teach her. "My sisters and I, your mother Idun, Helga, and myself, we went to him, wanting his help, instruction really. I wanted to learn to control my magic. But instead he gave me a pair of gloves, and the urn. Saying the gloves dispelled magic as long as they were worn, and the urn sought active magic to suck it in to keep it inside until released. In the case I got dangerous. Which I had..."

Anna could tell her aunt did not want to talk about it, a death in the family was not an easy thing to live through. Ever. Anna knew it all too well with the loss of her parents. So she said simply "Say no more aunt Ingrid. What happened happened in the past, its over. A memory. Unwanted, but still a memory. You can't change the past." Ingrid looked up from the map, the tears in her eyes at the loss of Helga by her own icey magic stung, but she saw something of grim determination in her niece's eyes.

"But we cannot get Elsa back with you breaking down about what happened in the past." Anna said. "We both want the same thing, we both want my sister, your niece, back, safe and sound. Ok ?" Ingrid saw that what Anna said was true, they both wanted Elsa back in Arendelle, right there with them right then!

With a deep breath and firm nod, Ingrid spoke "Elsa tried to defend me when the urn was opened, but its magic overpowered her own and pulled her into it. It was meant for me, not her. I will go and get her, with any luck the imp put the urn with Elsa inside it in his vault, anything he cannot control goes in there, even if its in an urn." Ingrid said. She picked up the hat box. Handing it to Emma she said. "Find a place to hide this, bury it if you must. Or give it to Pabbie. I doubt even the dark one will try to match magic with Pabbie or any of the other trolls."

Anna nodded, "Alright, its two weeks by ship, and the fastest ship in Arendelle is The Whitehawk, it could get you there within a week, maybe a week and a half with full crew and provison, barring storms on the seas at least." Anna said thoughtfully.

"No, I can go on deerback instead, it will be far quicker besides. Once I get to mysthaven, I can easily get to the dark ones castle." Ingrid said, she stood from the table and turned to leave, "I'll leave now, you stay here and keep peace in the kingdom. I will bring Elsa back safely, You have my word."

"And if you break it." Anna said, Ingrid stopped at the library door and turned to look at her niece, already wondering what Anna was thinking, "I will find another urn, and trap you in it, and go after my sister myself"

Ingrid smiled, giving Anna a tight hug she said "Stop worrying, Elsa is as good as safely in her bed!" With that she turned and quickly left the library and headed for the stables.

Anna followed her, giving some advice as the two walked along. "When you get to mysthaven look for a farm run by a woman named Ruth, her son, David, is a nice man and can give directions or even lodging, whatever's needed" She said, finally the steed that Ingrid had chosen for herself was ready, upon getting onto the deer to head for mysthaven, Anna handed her aunt something.

"What is this ?" Ingrid asked, there was a paper, with five names listed on it. Only one name she recognised instantly. A woman named The Friar

"When you get Elsa free and you two get seperated, be sure to give her this note, it lists locations where she can hide over night until finding Davids farm, or his brothers castle. Both are safe locations from the imp. And should you get seperated, you can regroup at either place before returning home." Anna said.

Ingrid smiled. "I will be back with Elsa, safely, and hopefully unharmed." She said, kicking the deer in the flank, the muledeer took off out of the stables.

**Mysthaven**

**Twelve days later**

**Davids Farm**

**13 December**

The muledeer came to a halt outside a well worked and very well kept farm, a young man tended to the sheep and fed some horses not far away. Ingrid looked carefully the farm, this must be Davids homestead. She thought. It have to have been, Anna had detailed it carefully.

David saw Ingrid and stepped towards her, "Can I help you with something madam ?" He asked her.

"Yes, are you David ? I was advised by a mutual friend of ours to stop here for rest or a bite of food." Ingrid asked

"I am, what can I do for you ?" David replied, mutal friend, did she mean Joan ? Or was her name really Anna ? "By any chance" David asked, "Are you from Arendelle ?"

"I am yes, why ?" Ingrid asked, clearly confused. "Do you know someone from there ?"

"Two actually, well, three now." David replied, he knew Kristoff by word of mouth, and also met him, once. And then there was Joan, or Anna, whatever the girls name was. And now this beautiful older woman. Clearly a princess or a queen ? David was half right, Ingrid was a princess, it was Elsa who was the queen.

"Really, who ?"

"You, Anna, I believe her name is, and Kristoff, the ice harvestor." David replied, he held up a hand to help Ingrid to the ground from the muledeer. "Is there anything you need at the moment ?"

"Thank you, uh, just a bit of rest, maybe some food. And directions. It has been a while since I have been to mysthaven." Ingrid said

"Directions to where ?" David asked

"The dark ones castle." Ingrid replied, at Davids shocked look she smiled, "relax, I am pretty sure he's expecting me. After all he has taken someone of extremly great value to me and mine. Someone I want back."

"It is not easy to make deals with him. But OK, I guess." David replied, "Is there anything else you need ?" He asked as they walked from the muledeer into the farm house.

"No, not at the moment, thank you." Ingrid said as David pulled out a chair at the table for her to sit. His mother was cooking in the kitchen and brought to the table some food.

"Here, have a bite to eat, best to save up your strength" She said, "Tomorrow when the rain ends, you can get back on your long road."

Ingrid smiled, "Thank you."

**Mysthaven**

**The next day**

**14 December**

Ingrid was out as soon as the rain had stopped, David was already saddling up the muledeer. He handed Ingrid a paper, "Follow this; when you have what you seek after you leave the dark ones castle, head to my brothers kingdom, you'll be safe there and gain passage back to Arendelle in safety." He said to her. Ingrid gave his thanks.

A few hours later and she arrived at the great gates to the Dark Ones castle, Well this was going to be most fun indeed. She conjured up a chest, colored to match the urn and tossed it over the into the moat. Let him scrounge for it, she made it weight to the bottom.

She got off the muledeer and hammered on the castle gate. "Rumplestiltskin! Open this door, I know you're there! You have something I want, and I have something you want!" Ingrid shouted at the door, for a long moment there was silence and then the door opened on its own accord.

Stepping inside she saw Rumplestiltskin enter calm as ever. "Ah! My lovely Ingrid, what can I do for you dearie ? What brings you to my, humble abode ?" his voice and tone was loaded with both sarcasm and something of erotic fantasy concering the woman before him. Yet Ingrid held her head high and ignored his tone, which annoyed the hell out of the imp. "Alright woman, what do you want ? I haven't got all day!" he grumbled

"You dropped something in your moat." Ingrid said, "From what I could tell it looked like an urn or a chest of some kind." An urn, maybe a chest, dropped in his moat ? "Might have been expensive." It was time to goad him on.

"Oh get out of my sight dearie!" Rumple said with a snap of his fingers, instantly transporting Ingrid to his vault. Better her down there than wandering his castle so freely, he thought. However, the notion that there was an urn or a chest of some kind in his castles moat made him get some swimming gear before hopping into the moat to go looking for this other urn, or chest or whateverthehellitwas.

Ingrid looked around briefly before spotting the urn that contained her niece within it. Aha! Grabbing it up she backed away from the shelf it was placed on. Suddenly very scared. Only one of them could escape the dark ones vault. One would have to stay behind, in the urn.

For a long moment Ingrid stood there, hugging the urn that contained her niece, She wanted Elsa to be free, she wanted to be free. But only one of them could leave freely. Finally she nodded, her mind made up, Elsa was going to be free.

**In the Dark Vault**

**Present Time**

"... And that's how I got here. I promised Anna I'd bring you home. But I do not think I can with you, any minute now and Rumple will figure out my deception." Ingrid said. "Can you stand ?" She asked, she picked up the urn from where she had set it on the ground and set it on the table, Elsa tensed up when she saw the urn so close, seemingly shrinking back in her chair. "Don't worry, you're not going back in there. If anyone should be put in there, it should be me, not you or anyone else." Ingrid said, Elsa turned to look at her aunt, a confused look to her eyes. What did she mean ?

"What are you talking about Aunt Ingrid ?" Elsa asked; standing up from the table, Using the edge of it to keep her balance as she was still woozy. "You promised Anna you'd get me home safely, so lets go!"

Ingrid shook her head, "No, I made my choice when I came to get you and take you home. I want you to trap me in the urn, but before you do, I have something I want you to have." Ingrid conjured a snowflake between them, but this snowflake drew Ingrds power from all directions into it. It was the size of a small after dinner mint, and it glowed brightly with the greater part of Ingrids power. Elsa stared at the snowflake as it span freely between them. "Eat this snowflake."

"Why ?" The young queen stared at her aunt, was she crazy ?

"You'll get your strength back. And also the greater part of my powers and knowledge." Ingrid eplained.

"What ? Wait, what about you ?" Elsa asked

"I still have a little bit of power left in me to get sucked into the urn. One of us has to get out of here. Here." Ingrid held out a hand, there was a paper in it "Your sister gave this to me and said to give you a copy of it. I think you will have better need of this than I." Ingrid told her.

"Yeah, but." Elsa started to say before Ingrid cut her off.

"No buts! Eat the snowflake. When you do you'll inherit almost all my power and knowledge on how to control it; everything that I can, could do, you will be able to do on a whim, without harming anyone around you." Ingrid said. She raised a finger and wagged it before Elsas face, like a mother repremanding her child. "Eat the snowflake. Regain your strength. We do not have much time."

Elsa thought for a long moment then ate the snowflake in one go. It tasted like lavender, and then went slightly sour like dead water. She felt her strength coming back as her aunts powers coursed through her body. Her heart hammered as the blood flowed with her aunts energy and strength. Her vision swam briefly before clearing. She could see clearer, almost completely clearer infact.

Finally after a long moment Elsa asked, as Ingrid picked up the thrown away gloves and begain putting them on as Elsa spoke. "Why are you doing this ? You promised Anna we'd be home safely." Elsa stood from the chair and put a hand on her aunts now gloved right hand. Stopping her aunts movements. "Please, don't make me put you in there. We should destroy it and flee, nothing more. Please! Let us both get out of here, destroy the urn and run, split up, meet up, whatever, just both of us get out of here. Forget this ever happened!" Elsa begged her aunt.

For a long moment Ingrid stared at her niece. She could feel her nieces cool touch against the gloves, through the gloves as she begged for them to both flee the dark vault back to home, to safety. With her ungloved hand Ingrid caressed her nieces face and whiped away a tear. "If only it were that easy." She said softly.

"I made my choice to come and get you, to set you free. I was put into the urn because of what I did to my sister in the past. You and your sister saved yourselves together, Anna sacrificed herself to save you, and saved herself. I deserve to be in the urn because I killed my sister, Helga. You were saved by Anna. You were never to be in the urn, or even a prisoner. Embrace the ice and snow, Elsa!" Ingrid said Elsa started to cry and hugged her aunt. Ingrid too cried as well. The two women, queen and princess, hugged each other tightly.

Finally Elsa said as she broke the hug, looking to her Aunt, "I will get you free; I will go back home and devise a plan to bring you home. Anna and I, we're your family, you are our only link to mother. You are all we have left. I promise you that I will come back to free you." Ingrid tried to smile, it was sad, but she smiled, and nodded, the two women hugged again.

Finally Elsa stepped back, regarding her aunt, the once regal and very deadly Snow Queen, her mothers elder sister. The gloves were on her aunts hands. Elsa bit her lip and picked up the urn. Finally, after a long moment turned away and lifted the lid of the urn. Her aunt said three words. "Thank you, Elsa." Before disappearing into the urn in white liquid. Just as she had come out when Hans freed her.

At her words Elsa turned her bright sapphire gaze back to her aunt. Seeing the bravery, the love, and something of pure happiness in her aunts eyes, whereas her own bright sapphire blue eyes were filled with nothing but sadness and pain, as her aunt disappeared and the urn sealed itself in her hands. Elsa held the urn close, tracing a hand over the surface. Her aunts name appeared along the top. "I promise, I will come back for you, You will be part of our family, Ingrid, my aunt, my friend, My teacher." Setting the urn on the table she stepped back. Hearing a noise from a door not far away, Elsa figured leaving was a good plan.

How had her aunt done it ? Oh yes, snowflakes! At that thought Elsa disappeared in a flurry of snow and ice, which instantly faded as Rumplestiltskin entered the Dark Vault. Elsa had yet to fully escape the dark vault, but figured to play him a bit. She saw her mothers old ribbin she used to have on a nearby table; along with two other ribbons. What she had told Elsa and Anna about, a childhood toy of sorts. Flicking her wrist, Elsa made herself appear as her aunt, everything, including her voice, was her aunt.

She watched for a moment as Rumplestiltskin went to the table, Rattling off a few things and drying off another urn, one unlike anything Elsa had ever seen. "The snow bitch was right. There was an urn in my moat! Lets see, what was inside it ?" Casting a fast binding spell over the seams of the strange urn, which looked more like a chest than an urn. Upon opening it, the only thing heard, was a heartbeat. "What in the name of myself..." Rumple stated softly as he removed from the small chest a blue item.

A heart, frozen of course, still beating. Hammering loudly in fact, loud enough for Elsa to even hear it. Elsa stepped into view then as her aunt. "I was wondering where you had gone off too my dear." Rumple said without turning around to face her. "You may leave. Did you see what you sought ?"

"Yes" Elsa replied, in her aunts tone and all, she had thoughts planning in her mind. She pointed. "Are those my ribbons ?" She asked.

"Yes, they are, take them if you wish, They're yours. You were right, I did indeed drop something into the moat on returning. Most interesting however. I never thought that I'd do such a thing." A frozen heart. Elsa herself had never seen such a thing. But she had heard of such. She willed herself to stay calm. Afraid that it was her own heart he held in his scaly hands. "If that is all you sought of what I had of yours, what exactly, can you give me ?"

Elsa pointed at the heart in his hands "That. I do not know what it is, I merely saw it in your moat within that chest. Its yours. Are we done here ?" she asked in her best possible annoyed as all hell tone that her aunt once used.

"Of course, tata" With that, Elsa disappeared to outside the dark ones castle. With her aunts ribbons. She had exactly what was needed to get her aunt back. And then some. She now needed that frozen heart.

Because it belonged to her aunt Helga!

**Mysthaven**

**King Georges Lands**

**Merry Men Riverside Campsite**

**23 December**

Two days later Elsa found herself completely lost. Riding her aunts muledeer to location after location, finding first one house and then another, each one giving random directions that got her further and further lost. Finally she was about to give up when she came across nothing more than a simple group of tents beside a rushing river. Well, this was different. Elsa thought; she wanted to get home, she wanted to set her aunt free. But she needed the right thing to get as leverage to get the imp to do as she wanted.

She lifted a leg over the muledeer and hopped off the steed. Muledeer were easier for Arendelle natives to ride over horses any day of the week. Not only were they quicker, stronger, and more durable, they were also quiet creatures as well. Elsa steppted towards the tents, calling out when she saw a fire brightly lit but none around "Hello ? Is anyone around ? I've lost my way and I need some help. Hello ?" Seeing none at the fire, she peeked into the first tent, none in there either. She looked towards the water, what the hell was going on ?

Was this a bad dream, was Rumplestiltskin screwing with her head ? Was she still in the urn ? No, she was not in the urn, and the imp let her go, no questions asked, as if he did not want her around in the moment any more. Or didn't even have need of her to begin with. He had the urn, and what Elsa could see, the frozen heart. There just had to be a way to free her aunt once and for all of that stupid little imps power. She called out again, "Hello ? Is anyone here ?"

She heard the slight noise, the twang of a bowstring. Turning her gaze towards where she thought she heard the sound come from she felt a sudden explosion of pain from her right side as something struck her.

What the ?

Snapping her gaze down she saw an white fletched dark brown arrow sticking out of her right side, and blood, iher blood/i, staining her icey greenishblue dress. For a long few seconds she just stared at the quickly expanding red stain on her dress.

Finally the pain set in on her otherwise confused brain and she shrieked, grabbing at the arrow, only making the pain worse. Turning she forced herself to her mount and made to get onto it, only to make the arrow dig deeper into her, She collapsed screaming in pain. God in heaven it hurt! A hand clamped tightly on the arrow to keep it from moving, pain made her vision swam.

"You idiot!" Thundered a voice; it was a male voice, "How many times do I gotta tell you ?! Never shoot people before they're hostile towards you!" Elsa tried to look around her emense pain, but nothing worked, she dragged herself with one hand and leaned against her mount, which thankfully was unharmed.

"Dozens less times than you said to shoot first and ask questions later" Said what was apparently a female voice.

"God Damnit Marian; look at her!" Said a third voice, another male. The second male to speak dashed forwards and inspected Elsas wound. "What were you thinking ? If Prince James hears about us in this area we'll have to move again!"

"Its not my fault she was looking for something to steal!" Marian retorted.

"Jesus Marian, not everyone showing up at our camp is looking to steal something." the first male said. Turning to the fellow inspecting their newly wounded unexpected guest he asked, "Little John, how is it ?"

"Its deep, Pete, but nothing the Friar can't handle." Little John replied. "Help me get her into my tent I fetch the Friar after we get her inside." Thankfully Elsa had stopped moving and simply passed out from the pain of the arrow sticking out of her side. The two men gently lifted Elsa from the ground and carried her to a large tent and laid her on the only cot within it. Peter, the man told by the larger man, Little John took off to find The Friar.

Sadly, the friar came that night long hours later. Elsa was in and out of wakeful pain and dead sleep very hour or so. Unable to move because of the pain, and no feeling below her feet. What confused Peter however was the fact that the bloodstain, which was quite large upon the womans icey blue-green clothing was slowly drying and flaking off like bloodstained icicles. Leaving a beautiful bright and shiny cloth behind untouched and unstained by blood.

Gaining enough sense and focusing, briefly on Peter, whom Little John had told to keep an eye on her else she injure herself further. With no feeling below her stomach, Elsa had no idea what had happened due to the arrow shot into her. Elsa asked painfully, "What happened ? where am I ? Who are you ?" She tried to move but lacked the strengh, that and Peter kept a hand on her and shook his head. Her nose picked up a strong tangy watery smell. Like it was raining or drizzle. Either one.

"Don't try to move, you've been hit with an arrow from an enchanted bow, you're lucky you're not dead either, You're safe, you're in Little Johns tent, part of the Merry Men, Little John went off to fetch the Friar, who should be here soon. They're the only one that knows how to deal with wounds dealt from the Enchanted bow." Peter replied, He pointed to himself, "I'm Peter, one of the Merry Men, Now that I've answered your questions, perhaps you can answer some of mine to get your mind off the fact that you got an arrow sticking out of your right side ?"

Elsa thought a moment, at least she was not naked in the bed. That would not have been a good thing. Finally she replied, "I guess, Since I cannot feel my feet or legs..."

"Uh... yeah... about that..." Elsa looked at Peter with an icey glare that could have killed a man on the spot, but she wanted to know what made him so nervous. "Not only were you hit in a not exactly vital area, but you were hit under the intention of learning who you were and why you were snooping around. But like I said the Friar is the only person that can heal wounds from the Enchanted Bow. But since you weren't intended to be killed, only questioned and let go, the only thing you'll most likely walk away with is a arrow wound, if that. Depending on how deep it went"

"What ? All I wanted was directions." Elsa said confused, she dug a hand into her left sleeve and removed the note her aunt had given her from her sister. She held it out to Peter. "I'm trying to find this man, Prince James. I need his help about aquring a certain object from a dark castle on the west edge of the forest." She said

"You mean the son of King George the Vengeful ?" Peter asked

"Who ? No, I am merely looking for Prince James, my sister said that he could be trusted because she had met his brother on one of her travels. If I cannot find him, then I can find his brother, David." Elsa said in reply, stifling a pained hiss as feeling started to come back to her feet. Thankfully Little John's cot was very comfortable with thick soft bear and elk skins lining it. And all of them were cleaned that same morning as well.

"Prince James lives in the castle about a half day southeast of here on foot, less on horseback, or in your case, deerback, that way" Peter said, pointing to his left, directly to Elsas right. "The river is that way" He pointed more behind him, past Elsas feet on the bed. Elsa came up from the riverside to the camp following a well kept path along the river to begin with. "So, to get to the castle, just stay along the river, keep it to your left as you go along the path until it splits off to the north and south and take the south direction, there's a bridge there, when you cross it the river will be on your left; within a mile or so there's a town, and the castle is at the heart of it." Peter said.

"Thank you."

"Now, one last thing." Peter mused aloud, Elsa looked at him confused, the pain was starting to make her vision swim she blinked rapidly to clear it. "May I ask you your name and where you are from, and what you seek from the Dark Castle ?"

"My name is Elsa. I'm from the North Mountain" She said, it was true, in a way, but then the question remained, which one ? "The Dark One has something important to me that I want back, I was told that Prince James could help me get it." she explained the blue heart; and also mentioned the urn that contained her parents ashes. She wanted both items back. She hated having to lie about the urn however, it contained her aunt, not her parents ashes

"Getting anything from the Dark One is not easy, he always demands a price. But I can understand the value of such an item or two." Peter said, it was then that Little John and a dark haired woman entered.

"Is this her ?" The dark haired woman asked, it was not a voice Elsa reocgnise, it sound more motherlike, more serene, more... queenlike apparently.

"Yes ma'am" Said Peter, "Marian struck her, not intending to kill, only to question and set free. We moved her from outside before it rained." It was then that Elsa was aware of her surroundings completely, it was raining out, that explained the weird tangy water smell.

The dark haired young woman went over to Elsa and sat down. Looking up to the two men she said "Leave, I wont be but a moment, but what I am about to do, you cannot see." The two men knew what she ment and left the tent, securing the doorway closed and moved to the fire. Turning to Elsa the dark haired woman said simply "Do not worry, I'm here to help you get better, I'm the Friar as they all call me. But you may call me Regina, what is your name ?"

"I am Elsa; it is a pleasure, I guess, to meet you." Elsa replied

"Elsa, the pleasure is all mine. Let me get a look at your wound; From what I was told by Lady Marian, and Little John, they only intended to ask you questions of why you were snooping around their camp here by the river." Regina replied. Elsa went quiet and nodded, Regina lit a small flame with a snap of her fingers and inspected the arrow wound. She saw through the drying blood that the arrow did not in fact penetrate Elsas dress, but pushed the fabric, so expertly woven, deep into her body by the arrowhead itself, which then, by design of the broadhead alone; was unmoving nomatter how Elsa moved. "That is most interesting." Regina mused thoughtfully.

"What is ?" Elsa asked

"The cloth of your dress stopped the arrow from cutting the fabric, but it did not stop the arrow from penetrating your skin, instead, the cloth was merely pushed into your body by the force of the arrow itself. I can remove it, thankfully, without having to remove or damage your clothing. But it will still hurt." Regina said apolgietcially.

"Do what you must, I want to find Prince James, I need his help in retriving something lost to me at the dark castle" Elsa said, at Reginas confused look Elsa explained "My parents ashes are in a urn he keeps in his vault, I saw it there. But he refused to give it to me. He also had something else that belonged to my aunt that I wanted to take back home." She described the frozen heart. Which she feared belonged to her aunt herself. But she was wrong of who the Frozen Heart belonged, it belonged not to her aunt Ingrid, but to her aunt Helga; whose shattered frozen body was contained in another urn within the dark vault.

"A frozen heart ?" Regina murmured softly, she had never heard of such a thing. So she prompted the question then "You are from the northlands then ?" At Elsas nod, Regina asked then "Where exactly ?"

"North mountain" came the reply, stifling a scream as Regina plucked the arrow from Elsas side.

Placing a hand instantly over the wound through the fabric to stop the bloodflow Regina said softly, almost apologetically "I cannot get to the wound through your dress, do you mind if I lift it to heal it ?" Elsa shook her head, mouthing the words, 'do what you must!' and unable to speak due to trying not to shriek in pain. Regina did just that, lifting Elsa dress just enough and sliding her hands to the wound as the blood flowed, using soft healing magic to heal Elsa of her wound. And since the arrow did not penetrate the cloth of the expertly woven dress, the wound would not leave a mark whatsoever.

Elsa felt the pain lesson and the feeling quickly returned to her legs and feet, tired muscles ached slightly yet with Reginas healing touch the ach went away and she felt no more wound or bleeding. It was such sweet relief that Elsa blacked out into a dreamless sleep as Regina healed the young queen for a few long hours, removing all fatigue from the young blonde.

**Mysthaven**

**King Georges Lands**

**Merry Men Campsite**

**Just after dusk**

Regina exited the tent and closed it behind her, Little John and Peter came right up to her, Peter asked meekly though quietly, "How is she ?"

"Peter I didn't know you cared" Lady Marian growled, apparently unhappy that the woman had spoken with Peter and not her over why she was there to begin with.

Peter was about to throw a retort at Lady Marian, but Regina beat him by saying, "She will be fine, she is asleep now, the arrow did not go as deep as I feared, come moring she will be hungry for certain. When she wakes up, direct her to Prince James castle; go with her if you must. Inform her that I will be at the castle court treating with King George over something important concerning the Dark One and his castle. She wants something important to her family that the imp stole from her, I am going to help her get the items lost back into her possession." Regina said.

"Of course Ma'am; I will inform her." Peter replied bowing to the Princess before him. Regina was Coras daughter, and learned healing magics and used them to help her family, her mother, friends, and at times, those injured by the Enchanted bow. "Is there anything else you wish me to tell her ?"

"Only that I will help her in recovering what she has lost to the Dark One. The Dark One craves power, I want to see if he will contend with mine, long enough to let her get what she lost, and flee without harm." Regina replied Imps were immortal creatures, but Regina was a healer, and could heal even herself and live longer than any human being in the Enchanted Forest. And yet, when she healed the young woman in the tent, she felt magic in the woman. Cold icey magic.

"Anything else ?" Little John asked after trading looks with Peter; the younger man seemed more concerned about their guest than Little John had originally thought.

"No, other then I myself must go now, Prince James must be ready for her arrival tomorrow, oh, and yes, I want one of you two go with her, make sure she gets there safely. Something about her makes me worry for her safety." Regina said to the two men "She's from the north, a place I have never been to or really heard or cared of before, I need to look into this carefully. If what she says is true, we will all have to help her regain what she has lost."

"OK, I'll go." Peter said before Little John could say anything "I asked her the questions that Lady Marian wanted to ask her. And I was also more worried of her condition as well just like Little John was." Little John nodded, Peter was right, Peter had insisted to stay at the tent while he went to go get Regina for help

"The good news is, the wound will not leave a mark on her whatsoever. Her dress stopped the arrow, whoevever made it, they wove the cloth so expertly that the arrow was unable to penetrate the cloth. It stopped the arrow from going directly into her skin through the dress, but it did not stop the bleeding or the pain of being struck by an arrow from the Enchanted Bow" Regina said, something of admiration was in her voice.

"How is that good news ?" Little John asked.

"The dress kept the arrow from cutting her skin and leaving a much more harder to heal wound; whoever made the dress knew what they were doing. The arrow merely pushed the cloth of the dress ahead of its point deep into her body, it never cut her skin, it forced the dress into her skin. It also caused bleeding, But the Arrow itself never cut her skin. That is the good news."

"If it were not good news then you'd still be in there" Peter said thoughtfully, Regina nodded. "So we're good ?"

"For the moment, she's asleep now, come morning Robin will want to know what transpired and why Little John slept on the breakfast table again, which thankfully this time I would not have much to do with that if at all." Regina said, it made Little John go red, and Peter choke on his own laughter; the last time Little John slept on the breakfast table by the fire was when he got shot in the leg, on complete accident at that.

"Never the less, she is asleep now. So that is good, when she wakes up I'll take her to the Village to see Prince James." Peter said, with that he took a seat outside the front flap of the tent where Elsa laid within asleep. Regina smiled seeing how Peter was acting over what Marian had done.

Before she left Regina stepped next to Peter after bidding goodnight to Little John, "You did the right thing Peter. Don't worry, What she said was true, she lost something to the Dark One; she wants to get it back, I will help her get it back. Take her tomorrow to Prince James, he is almost always in the marketplace at sunrise. Where is her steed ?"

Peter pointed across the way, where a large deer stood eating, acting more like a horse than a skittesh deer. "She tried to get back onto that. But when she tried, the arrow moved and caused her to collapse and pass out." he said

Regina took one look at the muledeer and then looked back at Peter before pointing at the muledeer, in a confused tone she said "That's a deer. How is that a steed ?"

"Apparently its a version of deer that we have yet to really meet, The woman was able to ride it easily" Peter replied

"Elsa" Regina corrected, "Her name is Elsa"

"Right, my mistake, Ma'am, Elsa, she was able to ride it without too much trouble. It even has a saddle on it as well." Peter said thoughtfully. "It makes me wonder; how was she able to ride such a beast ?"

"And why is the deer not skittish to begin with ?" Regina asked herself thoughtfully. Questions to be answered at a later date no doubt. "It does not matter, tomorrow morning make sure she gets to the market place to speak with Prince James. I will meet you two tomorrow morning after she speaks with Prince James, understood ?"

"Intimately. Safe traveles Ma'am" Peter said, bidding Regina good bye, Regins smiled and left the riverside camp.

**To Be Concluded**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Redemption of the Snow Queen**

**A Once Upon a Time WHAT IF Tale**

**Part 2**

**Mysthaven**

**King Georges Castle**

**24 December**

Morning dawned clear and bright at the castle, Regina stepped into the grand hall, There was a coffin there. Within it was a young man, Prince Conrad, Prince James older cousin, slain in battle with the Giants and Ogres only scant days before. King George saw Regina as she entered the greatroom. Plastering on a fake smile George treated with her, stepping up to her as she neared "Ah, Friar, I was not expecting you to be here to oversee the procceedings."

"Who is in the coffin, Georgie ?" Regina replied curtly, getting right to the point.

Georgie, he hated that name so much. He faked the smile again "My brothers oldest son. Conrad. Slain in battle. We bury him this afternoon."

"And your son, Prince James ?" Regina pressed

"In the castle market, like normal on every morning. Saying he wanted fresh air. Even on a day like today, where we are to bury his cousin. Yet he goes traipsing out as if he's the most important."

"He is your son. George." Regina said, her saying his name correctly for once got his undevided attention, "I need to use your castle library, it is most important. There is a young woman traveling in these lands stating that she is from the north mountains. I am not sure who she is and if what she says is true, but I feel she is quite important. I want to find out what I can, your library is the most expansive one in the area. I wish your permission to have use of it to find what I seek"

"You are sure of this ?" George said. He may be The Vengeful, but at the moment, he could might as well be called The Curious as what Regina spoke of made him wonder, looking to the other funeral goers he waved off a servant and took Regina aside to a small alcove for them to speak in private, "If this young woman is from the north mountains as you say; then we might have a problem. The Dark One's been stirring again, and my son is angry because of it as well. The Dark One came to him briefly about a week or so ago, concerning a object to trade a vase of some sort, I am not sure how James was able to do it, but the Dark One was soon quite annoyed at my sons manners and left without trouble. But I fear for him. If this young woman is from the north, it might be why the Dark One was in my lands this week."

"If this young woman is indeed the cause of the recent movements of the Dark One in the area, then we do indeed have a problem; she was wounded in Robin of Locksley's camp at the riverside. Don't worry, I healed her, Robin wont know that she was hit with Lady Marians enchanted bow, it turns out, in fact, that she is looking for your sons help in recovering something the Dark One had stolen from her family."

"My son would never set foot in the dark castle, even if it was to save his own skin." George replied, venom dripping in his voice.

"I know that, that is why when he comes back from the market with a guest, that I want you to send him and his guest, to the library. I will go in his stead." Regina said

"But you, you're the Friar, what good will you do against the Dark One ?" George said

"Simple, I will give him what he wants, if he in turn will give back to her what he had taken from her. For his price, I'll pay it, as long as he leaves her alone and lets her take back what he had taken from her." Regina said

"You are that willing to trade your freedom, for a woman you barely even know to help her get back what she had taken from her by the Dark One." George said thoughtfully. "You are a very brave woman."

"And she is also determined to get what was taken from her. I chose to help her, I slept on it last night, and woke up this morning, my choice made." Regina said "I am going to go with her, to the Dark One, and while there propose a deal, Give her what he had taken from her, and for his price I'll stay with him."

"You're very brave to do such a thing, but you wanted to use my library. So I suggest that you do so before you lose your freedom, while you have the chance at the very least. When James comes back, I'll send him to you there." George said, Regina thanked him and left. Soon she was poring over books about the area, the mountains to the north, and the other kingdoms. She never found anything she coiuld use that informed her of where Elsa came from. Or who she even was to begin with. Every thing she looked for, she was only given dead ends. Maybe Elsa was not to be known of ?

**Mysthaven**

**Riverside Camp**

**Earlier That Morning**

Elsa slept soundly most of the night until sunrise began. As she slept, she dreamed, but what she dreamed was a strange dream.

_Fire burned all around her, except where her feet touched, the ground was burned black. She stared at the ruin around her. Arendelle was completely destroyed, burned to the ground, and for what ? A simple argument that somehow included the Dark One. But that was not had her attention at that time. What had her attention was a divided soul far above. Fire and ice fought for complete control. Elsa saw only her self in that battle, both sides of a powerful coin._

_What she was, the ice side of that coin; a good woman, a good leader. The true Queen of Arendelle._

_The fire, the fire was the monster she could become at any moment._

_The two fought far above her, directly above her as she watched, transfixed on the graphic battle above her. And then she stared as the monster, the fire winged version of herself was struck hard, and sent hurtling to the ground, The ice version, her good side headed right after it, Both versions of herself headed right for her._

_Her eyes widened, she tried to dive out of the way, but she was rooted to the spoot unable to move. Fire and ice exploded around her in a firey explosion of ice and fire and brilliant white light engulfed her; the last thing she saw was that leering, almost goading smile on Rumplestiltskin's face and blue jellylike liquid, herself being pulled into the urn._

Elsa's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright on the cot in the tent that belonged to Little John. Freaked out as snowflakes flickered around her form. She looked around the tent, taking in everything, she felt no pain, whatever Regina had done for her was helpful. She'd lost her shoes long ago before being sucked into the urn. Elsa checked herself down carefully, Still in one piece, and she had full feeling in her legs and feet. Perfect!

Throwing her legs over the side of the cot Elsa stood up, at first on wobbly legs before regaining her balance. She remembered where she was, and what she was trying to do, find Prince James. She heard a loud snore from outside and went t othe tent door and peeked out. Peter, the man she had spoken with the afternoon before was sound asleep at the tent entry.

Elsa smiled seeing Peter, she liked him, he seemed nice enough, after all he gave her directions to where she was to go to find Prince James, she tapped him on the shoulder "Peter, was it ? Are you up ?"

When he was tapped on the shoulder he twitched to his feet "huh wha ? Who goes there ?" He said quickly before seeing Elsa staring at him, her bright sapphire eyes wide in confusion and a bit of fear before he calmed "Oh, I am sorry, yes, my name is Peter, did you sleep well last night ?"

"I did thank you, Regina helped me. I feel fine now." Elsa said

"Oh good, the Friar also said I am to help you get to Prince James, speed us of the essence now, let me get my horse, your deer is over there, he refused to move when we tried to get him from his spot." Peter said pointing out where the massive muledeer sat in the grass "He did eat what we gave him though; I suppose that is good enough"

Elsa smiled and looked over to the massive muledeer. "Thank you, I will tell my aunt of the help you gave." The deer wasn't hers, but she did use it. Her aunt had rode it to the Dark Ones castle in the first place when she had been trapped in the urn. She went over to it, the deer stood as she neared. Elsa climbed onto it and got comfortable on its bare back as her aunt's magic had been long dispelled to make the saddle as Peter arrived on his own horse. It was time to go.

Seeing her riding the deer bareback, Peter asked her, "Are you in need of a saddle or even a bridle and bit ?"

Elsa shook her head "No thank you, I got this far on him, I can go further, as long as I do not get too close to horses, I will be alright." She replied

"Alright, I wont pressure, come on, as I said, the Friar wants me to get you to Prince James as quickly and safely as possible. Recent goings on with the Dark One at his Dark Tower have us all on edge lately. Something is bound to happen along the wroadd" Peter said. "So the Friar told me that rather than give you directions to Prince James, I am instead to escort you to his kingdom"

"Thank you" Elsa replied, keeping a careful eye on his horse, he saw her look and she merely showed her right hand without a word. Peter saw faint scars on her fair pale skin. At his confused look she said "When I was a child I was bitten by a horse, I was seven years old at the time; I saw the healer at my family's castle, They weren't able to remove the scars completely, but the pain is gone"

"I see, so now because of that scar on your hand..." Peter started to say, only to get cut off

"Not just my hand" Elsa said, willing her dress sleeve to come apart, showing Peter her magic, it was ice magic. Beautiful and he could see through Elsas use of it, absolutely aluring. To Peter, Elsa was a beautiful young woman. Who possessed an extremely rare and wonderful power. "The horse would not let go, and it... chewed" Peter then saw he scars were darker under her sleeve and the mess of scars went up her arm to her elbow, maybe a bit more. But he could not see it to that point.

Peter nodded, chosing his words carefully he said then "So what's your plan now ? If the Dark One took someone that is important to you, how do you plan on getting that person back ?"

"I promised my aunt I would free her of the urn, of the Imp, we'd go home, and he'd never bother us again, according to my aunt, the Imp already broke his deal with my sister by capturing me first, my aunt came after him, after me, she freed me, but I promised her I'd free her, we'd go home, where we belong, and he wont ever bother us ever again. It'd be that simple." Elsa said, ice crackled on her fingers, "I can easily turn him into a statue of ice, not kill him, just freeze him solid if I must. But no, I wont kill him, threeaten him maybe." Elsa turned to Peter, who seemed scared. "Unless Regina can help me, if James can help me as well, then no bloodshed, or threats will be needed, I hope."

"Prince James is a good man, the Dark One doesn't dare cross him bcause of what James can do to him. As far as anyone knows, James or his brother, Charming, are the only two men in Mysthaven who can harm the Dark One, with mortal weapons at that, niether man know magic, and their hearts are protected against Heartfire, an ancient spell" Elsa turned to look at Peter as they moved down the lane towards her destination, she knew of that spell; here aunt had given her almost all her magic and knowledge, which included that ancient deadly spell. It made her scared. "I want to apologise too, for Marion's shooting you"

"It is alright" Elsa said, "She did not know I merely wanted information and move on. No harm was done, Regina healed me, I will be alright now. The sooner I get what the Dark One took, the better off everyone here will be" She refused to speak further as Peter lead the way across the bridge he'd spoke of, Elsa saw the spires of a nearby castle towering above a valley; that was where she was to head.

Moments later and Elsa was seeing houses and farms the closer they got to the castle belonging to Prince James. The brother of David the sheperd that her aunt had stopped at. Elsa felt eyes drift in her direction, and it made her slightly nervous, but she tried to not let it show, no, not now. She stayed in pace with Peter as he explained the kingdom to her

"King George rules this place, he's the king here. His son, Prince james is the guy you're looking for. Most people call his father The Vengeful, but given the recent happenings people have been calling him 'The Curious' dunno why" Peter said

"I am to treat with a King or a Prince ?" Elsa asked, clearly confufused as to what was to happen next if at all. She had bad experiences with princes recently.

"The only person I believe we are to speak to, at least you to speak to, is Prince James, Dunno if you'll meet the King or not. Why ?" Peter said

"I am a Queen myself, and yet I wonder if by meeting this man if I should say such a thing to him; that I come seeking his sons help through information of another on how to retrieve what has been taken from me ? How do I tell him I'm a queen from the North and I need his sons help ?" To that Peter did not have an answer.

Leading the way into the town outside the vast castle on the hilltop Peter lead Elsa to a stable to house her muledeer, and then from there he lead the way on foot. Soldiers walked in patrols, moving quickly from place to place. Each one Elsa could see, had a magic ward of some form upon their armor to protect them from something.

As they walked Elsa asked softly. "Why all the soldiers ?"

"In the last two weeks there have been two problems plauging this area, the first one is the Dark One, He came here about a week ago, everyone was upset when he showed up out of the blue; well, nobody was as upset as Prince James, the man was livid that the Dark One came looking for him for selling of something. James didn't take it, an urn or some such, he didn't like the look of it, and insisted that the Dark One leave, which amazingly enough, he did. Without a fuss at that!" Peter explained as they wove their way into the marketplace

"And the other thing ?" Elsa asked

"The Ogre Wars, Prince Conrad, James' cousin, is to be buried today. He fell in battle against the Ogres this past week. The king is unhappy and yet curious." Peter explained. Elsa didn't ask anymore questions, but it was clear of her expression that that the term ogre meant horror, or worse. So Peter shut up and said "Ah, there's our man, Your Majesty! Prince James! Sir" Peter spotted Prince James not far away in the market, purusing the many vendors and stalls.

James saw them and stepped over. "Peter! You loveable son of a biscuit! What are you doing here ? I thought you guys were packing up camp to move south. What happened ?"

"Thats just it, we were going to pack up and head south, but something imporant came up" Peter replied, it was then that James took notice of Elsa taking a peek at a nearby weapon merchant, a pair of glasslike swords caught her undivided attention as one word rang in her mind

"_Duradaeden_"

James smiled "And who is this pretty one you brought with you Pete ?" He asked "Not one of Little Johns hopefuls is she ?"

"I'm afraid not, Lady Marian struck her in the side with an Enchanted Bow with the intention of questioning" Peter replied "The Friar told me to bring her to you as soon as she woke up. Elsa, this is Prince James, James, your highness, this is the Lady Elsa, from... the North Mountains."

"A pleasure to make your aquaintance m'lady." James said, "The way you hold yourself, you must be nobility or... royalty, either one."

"I am a... Princess yes" Elsa lied, first time liar, but still. It worked for the moment as James believed her "The the woman you call the Friar, Regina, she helped me last night and provided a means, with the help of Peter, to get to you, as you know how to get past the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin."

James went stonefaced at the name, but nodded, he leaned close and said softly "Dont say that name aloud, we wont speak of it until we're inside, he rarely comes here, and when he does, he has sworn to not make trouble when here to begin with." Elsa nodded at his words, alright, so she'd tell him why she was here once they were in the castle, perfect.

Her gaze went to the twin swords on the merchant table. She saw that none could buy the blades. They were sold in pairs. James followed her gaze. He smiled and the two moved over to the merchant, James spoke "A rare metal, cool to the touch and yet, harder than steel. No smith here forged it, and none will buy such rare weapons."

"Your highness, my lady" The Sword Merchant said to them both, a man named Mark Wolfe, of Arendelle, said softly, "You grace me with your presence." Anna had sent Mark after her aunt in the guise of a swordseller. But what ended up happening was Elsa being waylaid at Robins camp trying to find James, allowing Mark to find him first.

Mark was truly the Captain of the Whitesparrow, the fastest and largest Arendellian craft ever created, boasting three hundred and sixty guns, the vessel was a force to be reckoned with at all times, even against magic as the only magic that could work on it was Elsa's own ice magic.

Elsa was unable to place the mans face or appearance, at last for the moment, she was more concerned of those two swords. They were beautiful. Had she made them ? They looked like weapons she could make if she needed them.

The two quickly then left the marketplace and with parting words of luck and in the case of Elsa, thanks, to Peter who swiftly left the two as James took Elsa inside the castle

**Mysthaven**

**King George's castle Library**

**Noon**

Upon entring the castle Elsa took it all in. James was a Prince, she was a Queen, good lord this guy gave her the wilies for sure the way he acted. There were people dressed in black, in mourning, Elsa could easily tell that much by their actions, and the sour look the King, it had to be the King, had given to James as he came up to them. Elsa stayed one step behind James the entire time.

"James" George said calmly as he stepped over to his son

"Father" James said in reply "I've returned in time for the burial of Conrad. As promised"

"That is alright son, you have other things to worry about I understand." George replied to his son "The Friar wants you to see to her upon your return with our... guest, hello my lady, you must be who the Friar is trying to figure out something important."

"The Friar is here ?" James asked, all serious, all thoughts of flirting with Elsa gone from his mind.

"Yes, she is in the library as we speak, she said to send you to her when you got here, now why are you wasting time James ?" George replied, suddenly stern, "And it is not just any time you are wasting either son, it is hers, the Friar has made up her mind on something and you know who it concerns, you saw him a week ago."

"The Dark One ? Seriously ? What does she want with him ?" James asked, Elsa was caught in the crossfire, unable to make sense of the two of them. What did Regina want with Rumplestiltskin ? Did it concern her directly ?

So Elsa chose that moment to speak up. "Did you say she is in your library ?" George nodded, "Where is that ?" He pointed out the way and Elsa turned to go in that direction

As Elsa moved James did as well, however his father grabbed his arm and spoke quietly to him "Go with her, do whatever the Friar says, do not try to disobey her, help the girl, do not screw her. Understand me ?" James nodded, "Good luck son. You will need it." James nodded and followed after Elsa who was already waiting for him to join her and lead the way to where Regina was.

Ten minutes later and they were in the library, Regina searching in many books trying to find out more of where Elsa had come from, Or rather, more about the North Mountain itself. Unfortunately, Regina was unable to find out anything that was important enough to at least give direction of where Elsa was from. The Northern Mountain Range was a mystical location, so mystical that none in the Enchanted Forest took it seriously enough that anyone could live in that range or even near it.

But Elsa was from there. And what was more, Rumple had stolen something that belonged to her. Something important enough for her to come to the world, a place she called Mysthaven. Which confused Regina, it was commonly called the Enchanted Forest to those that lived there. So what was it then that Rumplestiltskin took from Elsa, something so important to bring her there to confront him for it ?

Regina turned as the two entered, James speaking first as Elsa went right to the books seeing that Regina was looking for something, most likely about herself. "Find anything of importence, Friar ?"

"No" Regina aswsered after a long moment, "Your father has nothing of the North Mountain, no maps show anything up there either." She said, "I am at a loss, Prince James. Of what to do. I have no idea of how to do this task."

"The North Mountain, its about two days walk from my kingdom where I grew up. I... exiled myself there for a tenday." Elsa said softly browsing the books carefully.

"If that is the case then you are truly unique, Elsa" Regina said thoughtfully. Turning to James she asked "James, do you you think your father or any of your citizens have maps of mythic nature ?"

"I think my father does in the Map archive downstairs" James said, he moved towards a door, three locks were removed, then the three headed into a short hall and then down two flights of stairs into a huge archive room

All of this was so confusing for Elsa, all she wanted was to get her aunt, that frozenheart, and the other urn she had spotted briefly from the imp and go home to Arendelle, away from him forever! But, mythic maps, mythic places, her being unique. It confused her greatly. Without a word she followed James as Regina motioned her to go first and then followed right behind.

Of course Elsa was confused; but nobody was confused as much as Regina. As Elsa stepped into the vast vault ahead of the Friar behind James Regina spoke. "What was it that was so important that the Dark One took from you that made you come after him ?"

"Not what" Elsa replied softly,, her voice echoing in the vault, "Who" she corrected slightly

"OK, _who_ did Rumplestiltskin take from you that was so important that you came after them ?" Regina asked, actually taking the correction in stride, not even insulted by the young woman.

"He took my only link to my mother. My aunts" Elsa replied softly. "At first he took me trapped inside a urn, and then my aunt came for me, these were theirs" Elsa said, taking from a small ice cloth three golden ribbons. "Rumplestiltskin has a still beating blue heart, plus my aunts in two sepreate urns, one of the royal burial urn my mother used to bury her sister. I want them both back. The heart belongs to the one in the burial urn. My aunt Helga; Aunt Ingrid took my place in the urn I was trapped in when she set me free, and asked me to trap her in my place. I want them both back." Elsa said. "I will do what ever it takes, including freezing the heart of the dark one if I must do so"

"To kill the Dark One you must use his dagger, nothing more. The only problem is that when using the dagger to kill him, you take the role; unless one can kill him without the dagger used to do the deed directly" James said there were maps everywere. All of them quite old.

Elsa, after shifting through two piles of countless maps, finally recognised one. The map of a apparently mythic or storymade kingdom, her own. She looked at it closely, It showed fifty three districts of the Kingdom of Arendelle; at the time it also included the duchy of Weselton; Elsa let out a angered huff. "Stupid weasel was right, his duchy iwas/i part of my kingdom!"

"What did you find ?" Regina asked, James watched and found an old device. All sorts of technology was also there in that vault. Technology of a bygone age. His father merely collected the stuff really.

"This map" Elsa said, she pointed out some key features "This is where I am from, this castle; that tower, its all there everything I grew up with all my life. On this map." she turned to James "How did your father come by this ?" The map was old, in this case it was at least ten generations old for only fifty three districts, when Elsa took queenship, the kingdom had grown to seventy one districts.

"That map was brought here by someone, father rarely comes down here if at all. I couldn't tell you if he got it himself or someone had it before he got it with those maps; we get old maps pretty much once a month to begin with by all manner of folk trying to trade them off" James replied

Elsa held the map up thoughtfully. "This map is ten generations before my birth, icicles, ten generations before even my great, great, great, great, great-grandmothers birth! this is where I am from, this is Arendelle, generations ago!" She said, Already planning on taking that map home with her. Rumplestiltskin most likely had more maps like it too at his place.

Regina took a look at it, recognising only one landmark, the shape of the seaside. "Wait a second I know this! James, seacharts!" She said, James nodded and went to a cabinet and pulled out a stack of charts, setting the stack on a table in the middle of the vault Elsa wondered what Regina was up to, setting the map of Arendelle on the table confused as Regina went over the charts. Finally finding one she sought she laid the map of Arendelle over the seachart and used her magic to make the Arendelle map fade just enough, the outline of the seashore matched the chart she found. "No wonder it was considered a mythical location!" Regina said, her eyes sparkling. "Arendelle, your kingdom, its seperated from Mysthaven by sea, Considering the scale of which, at least a three week journey"

"Two weeks" Elsa replied, once again correcting "My younger sister, Anna, she came here, even made a deal with Rumplestiltskin; she had his dagger thing of sorts and a weird box he sent her home; anyway, Anna said it was two weeks by sea to get here from Arendelle; and that was, I assume, with the head wind"

"Either way, I'm going to help you. Lets go see Rumplestiltskin, shall we ?" Regina said, she was ready, if Rumple had something so important to Elsa that she could infact freeze his heart solid and not become the next dark one while doing it; then that was dangerous. That was something that Regina knew, and Rumple did not!

It was then Regina remembered something. "Wait a second, you said your sister used his dagger to send her home with any tiem ?" Elsa nodded, Regina smiled. Find his dagger, and bam, they had control over him.

"Why ? Is that his weakness ? That knife ?" Elsa asked, Regoina nodded

"He is also looking for his son. Baelfire; and from look of things recently, he has gotten quite close to finding his lost child." Regina explained, how she knew that nobody knew.

Elsa nodded a plan already forming in her head, and half an hour later, the muledeer was saddled, and Regina's own horse with it, though Elsa kept her distence Regina saw clearly that Elsa was scared out of mind because of how close she was to the horse. Regina did not pry. But she did promise to keep the horse under control.

**Mysthaven**

**Dark Ones Castle**

**Midafternoon**

Dismounting from the horse Regina looked with a calm expression at the dark forboding castle, it needed upkeep for sure! The entire trip to this place Elsa was quite, never speaking; Regina tried to ask her questions about Arendelle, what it was like, what her people were like, her family; anything really. But Elsa said not a word. It was not that she did not trust Regina. It was that she felt she had spoken about Arendelle enough as it was.

Elsa halted her deer at the edge of the rotted moat and for a long moment she just stared at the gate of the dreary castle. Not moving, as if stiff with fear. Her heart hammered as her eyes were closed, she was remembering her dream from the night before! She remembered it all...

_Fire against ice. Arendelle was in ruins, she was fighting herself! Fire against ice. Finally, she realised it, her magic was powered by her motions In fact she was also able to do things others in her kingdom could not. She could ruin her kingdom, ruin herself!_

_But no. As she remembered she stood, the ice angel had stood against the monster of herself that was fire, the monster that she could become if she let herself fall to the lies of the Dakr One, to kill him with his dagger, to kill herself!_

_No._

_She was not going to kill Rumplestiltskin; she was going to force him into a deal he could not resist! Yes, a deal he could not refuse to take! She would not become that monster everyone could fear, no, she was a good queen, her kingdom loved her and she loved her kingdom. And she was going to protect it to her very last breath_

In her memorys her eyes sprang open when she saw his face, and what Regina could see in those same eyes were snowflakes dancing, making her eyes sparkle brightly. Elsa knew her duty now. She was going to keep her promise to her aunt, she was going to free them of the imp, forever.

Dismounting she stalked towards the gate, and when she raised her hand to knock upon it, it opened of its own accord. Trading looks the two women stepped into the Dark Castle and began looking around the massive structure; In one of the rooms Elsa found the dagger bearing Rumplestiltskin's name upon it. She could feel the power, the dark energy, within it. She picked it up and quickly wrapped it in loose cloth

Finally they found a well kept brightly lit study of a sort and stepped inside. Rumplestiltskin himself sat at the end of a long table; a chest sat upon it, Elsa could hear the sound of a steady heartbeat.

Closing the lid of the chest, Rumple looked up as the two women entered. He stared for a moment, then to the urns on the table, there were three items on the table that Elsa and Regina both could see clearly. Two of them urns, one of those urns clearly a burial urn. And a chest containing a still beating heart. He looked back up and had to blink, then he smiled "How did you manage to get out of this I wonder..." he said to Elsa; his black eyes drilling into her, as if searching her soul.

Elsa didn't even smile. "Wouldn't you like to know" Was all she said. Already thinking of how to do her plan as Regina stepped up between them.

Rumple smiled, "Ah... so the Friar comes to see me herself! The most powerful sorceress in the land! How'd you get in with this child ?"

"That is not your concern, I'm here to make you a deal." Regina replied

Rumples eyes lit up like a kid in a candy shop "A deal ?! Now we're talking! What's the need ?" He asked suddenly bored but faking it apparently as his eyes seemingly went to cleaning his nails as he watched Elsa who merely watched him carefully.

"Give her what she wants, and I stay with you as your student." Regina said

Elsa stared at Regina, do what ? There was no way Rumple would go for that! Elsa was right, and partly wrong. Rumple smiled and pointed at Elsa, "What she wants ? You mean these ?" He gestured to the two urns and chest. Elsa didn't have to nod. Those indeed were what she was after. "Well, I got news for you two! She can't have them until I get what I need from her sister."

Elsa knew what he meant when Regina looked at her confused. So she said "The weird box ?" Rumple nodded "I dont know where it is, even if I did, I'd never give it to you anyhow. I doubt it'd do what you want in the first place anyhow." The hat, the weird box, it nearly pulled her into it, into torment! And if she gave it to him... "Wait, why do you want it anyhow ?"

"Simple." Rumple said with a giggle, "As the Dark One I'm tied to my dagger, its got my name on it until someone kills me with it. Using the hat I can get severed from the dagger and in doing so I can still keep my magic. But not be the dark one at the time." He giggled again and sprang up from his seat and went over to the fire to stoke it with a magically appearing firepoker. "Now, you might be wondering why or how I knew that you'd be coming." They both nodded. "I'm also a seer. I can see snippets of the future. In a way."

The two women traded looks as Rumple turned his back to them and stoked the fire "What I cannot figure out for the life of me is how you got out of that urn, and out of my vault" He said at long last. Try as he might he never could figure it out. He remembered that Ingrid came to visit, then she left after he met back up with her in the vault to store the chest with the heart in it. But how did Elsa get free ? Wasn't she still stuck in the urn to begin with ? After all, He giggled, remembering the look of pur horror on the faces of both Elsa and Ingrid as Elsa became blue liquid and was pulled into the urn, and then spirited to the vault. But that was three weeks ago, and how was she out of the urn ? Or did Ingrid and Elsa switch places ?

His eyes narrowed, of course! That was it! He turned from poking the fire to look at both women, stepping closer, remain civil, get the goods, and go, that was his plan. For the moment at least. He pointed to Elsa, laughing he said "How could I not figure it out ? Because Ingrid left my vault, no, not Ingrid, you, left my vault acting as her, looking like her! You switched places with her, or she switched places with you when I sent her to the dark vault, didn't you ? Now, dont deny it; there's no way for you or her to get out of that urn without help, she took your place in this thing!" He said, now quite giddy that he finally figured it out.

For a long moment nobody said anything, only the steady heartbeat was heard, finally Elsa said. "Yes, Ingrid took my place, I want her back. I want those three items on the table there. And in return, you get to live. But you must do something for me. Because I know the look of you. The way you are acting right now." She said stepping closer as Rumple looked at her confused. "You seek someone, someone you lost, like me, I want mine back, you want yours. But, if I use this" She unvieled the dagger as she was just within reach of him, he stood stone still his eyes locked on the item in her hands. "I could kill you. Right here, right in this room. But; what would that gain for me ? Nothing. Nothing what so ever, you would loose ieverything/i"

"So you plan to kill me and take my place as the Dar kOne ? How fitting! Wait..." He then realised what she was saying. He'd never find his son Baelfire. He'd never get what he truly wanted. His son back. His only family. If he were to die before that happened... He stared at her. Now was the time for the test. He smiled

Elsa inched the dagger dangerously close to his clothing at his chest, directly over his heart. "You give me what I want, and in return... you get to find what you lost. You get to survive."

"And later down the road ?" Rumple asked simply, calmly, scared for his life.

"Later down the road I can kill you without this, I can easily just freeze your heart into solid ice. All it takes. But no, I could still become like you, a monster, feared and hated. Loathed even. No, I wont kill you, but I will warn you, I will leave this place with what I wish, those three items, and in return, you will never, ever, set foot in Arendelle, or any of its outlands. On the penalty of a frozen heart. Yours. Agreed ?"

Somehow she knew he was looking for Baelfire, and was so close to finding him, the idea of dying without his son nearby, or seen again before his death scared him. "Lets say I agree to your terms, what is in it for me ?" He was trying to think of a way to get this deal into his favor.

The look Elsa gave him however made him quite nervous...

**To be concluded**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Redemption of the Snow Queen**

**A Once Upon a Time WHAT IF Tale**

**Part 3**

**Mysthaven**

**Dark Ones Castle**

**24 December**

There was venom in her eyes, Rumplestiltskin could see the pure anger boiling behind the beautiful brilliant sapphire blue of the young queens eyes. Anger directed at none other then himself. The dagger against his chest as he spoke he asked her what was in it for him if he agreed to her terms. _OK, that was not exactly the best thing to say to the person holding the only thing that can kill me_. He thought as the dagger moved from his heart to his neck as Elsa came dangerously close to him.

"What is in it for you ?" Elsa growled softly; fighting the urge to slit the mans throat and walk out. Rumplestiltskin was scared stiff in front of her, she could tell. She leaned closer, the knife to his neck. "What you will get, is to find what you lost. But all you have to do, is forget about me, forget about my kingdom, forget about my sister, and most of all, forget about the hat." She lowered the dagger. "I wont even force you into doing anything either, I just want your word that you will let me leave here, with what I seek, and that you will never try to follow, or search or haunt my kingdom, ever."

She held out the dagger, as if offering it to him. "You know that I can freeze you were you stand and walk away, leaving you alive but frozen solid." She told him. "Because right now, I can simply do just that, freeze your heart, freeze you into ice... and leave without worry or care. But what would you gain being a statue ? Nothing! You lost something, something important enough to become this to try and find what you lost. I am giving you that chance, so long as you agree with my needs."

Rumple stared at her, she was not forcing him to do anything, though she held the dagger, she did not want to foce him into any deal whatsoever; which meant he could accept, or even make a contract, but her terms, forget about her, forget about Arendelle, forget about the hat... there had to be a way to get the hat or even a means to get rid of the darkness, he did not want it, he wanted his son! He thought a long moment, turning briefly to Regina, the Friar before turning back to Elsa, who now held out his dagger as if giving it to him directly.

Rumplestiltskin thought very carefully on his words, and nodded. "Deal. I accept your terms dearie." In his hands appeared a small vial, "She stays with me as offered, I can teach her yes, that was deal ?" Regina nodded, Rumple turned back to Elsa, "As soon as you are gone, I will drink this, she will make sure. Deal ?"

"I take what is mine and leave, you drink this, forgetting everything that transpires here. And should we meet again, I will freeze your heart upon sight of you." Elsa said

Rumplestiltskin nodded in agreement, "Deal!" He said, he could continue his search for Baelfire! "You take what is yours and go. And so I wont forget, I'll see you to the door, and drink this as you leave." Elsa did just that, tossing the dagger to Regina, who hastly set it on a nearby table, acting as if it was about to bite her, Elsa picked up her aunts urns, and the chest containing her aunts heart. It was time for her to leave.

Rumple escorted Elsa to the door. As soon as she stepped off the drawbridge he drank the potion. Not that he wanted to do it. But because he wanted to find his missing son. He wanted Baelfire, and he knew that if he tried to cross Elsa, or even Ingrid, he'd pay dearly. Undeath was a horrid way to go. But what confused him was that she never forced him into a deal with his dagger. For that he was thankful. Though as she left his view, he had to wonder who she was.

**Mysthaven**

**Davids Farm**

**Six hours later**

Six hours later and Elsa slowed the muledeer to a steady walk. Holding in her hand her aunt Ingrid, trapped within the urn until her release. Which was going to be soon. Elsa knew it to be true. _David should be of help; I hope_ Elsa had made a proper deal and Rumple merely wanted to find his son, nothing was signed or anything.

She traced her fingers on the runes along the top of the urn; her aunts name pulsed with the life within the urn. The heart continued to beat steadily. She had what she needed, well, almost, she needed a way home good and proper. But how to get that she had no true idea. She had no idea where she was as she came upon a well kept farm. Her heart burned to free Ingrid properly, in a peaceful happy location as well. And the only place she could think of was home. In her bedroom.

A safe, happy, joyful loving place.

But how was she to get there ? She had no idea where she was!

Coming upon the gate of the farm she halted her muledeer as she spotted a young man with long dirty blonde hair come from the barn towards her. Slightly nervous Elsa watched him. The man seemed oddly familiar. And then he spoke and she knew why he was so familiar!

"Prince James ?" Elsa asked confused, why was he dressed like that and how had his hair grown so long so quickly since she saw him that morning ?

"Ah, no, that's my brother." David replied, "I'm David. You must be from Arendelle" Elsa stared at him, how did he know ? So he replied "your stature, your accent maybe. And the fact you got an Arendelle burial urn there on your muledeer. And the fact that you are using a muledeer instead of a horse." David pointed out.

So she had met his twin brother, ok that made sense, plus he was right. So she calmed and nodded, "Yes, I am from Arendelle, you must be David then right ? My aunt said to stop and speak to you. I already saw your brother, he... helped me with something important as you can see." She had two urns, and a chest that echoed with a steady heartbeat.

"So that would make you the fourth person I have met from there." David said, Elsa stared at him.

"The fourth ?" She asked him, clearly confused.

"Yup, there's Kristoff, he comes by to sell ice every now and again. Then there was Joan..." He said, using Annas favorite name. Almost always used it when going out or faking it, Mark must have taught her Elsa surmised as David continued "Then there was a lovely lady named Ingrid, she was here I think about four days, maybe five days ago. And now yourself." He then looke around her "Where is Ingrid anyway ?" Elsa tried not to smile, not wanting to talk about it. That horrifiying feeling of turning into nothing but thick blue water and pulled into the urn.

She tried not to think about it. "You are right" She said at long last. "I am indeed from Arendelle, and I need to get back there, do you know where there is a dock or a ship I can charter to get home ?"

David nodded; "I think I can help you with that. But, have you eaten ?" Elsa shook her head. No she hadn't, heck she hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, and it was nearly sunset! Her stomach growled as David nodded. He reached up a hand "I think Mother has something cooking, you're welcome to stay the night as well."

"But I..." Elsa started to say, but then she felt something in her heart, she felt it was alright. She nodded again at the feeling "Alright, I'll stay for one night, but I want these within my reach at all times" She meant both urns, and the chest containing the heart. David agreed.

"Fair enough." He said helping her off the muledeer.

"Thank you" Elsa said to him as he gently almost reverently lifted the burial urn from the sack that held it as she held the pale gold one in her arms tightly, as if she did not want to loose who or what was in it. David did his best not to focus on it. And for that Elsa was thankful.

David gently set the chests containing the heart on his shoulder as he passed to her the burial urn, his mother, Ruth came out upon seeing they had a visitor and being of help she said "Here, young lady, let me" she said, reaching for the burial urn.

Elsa, seeing Ruth coming to be of aid to her, smiled "Thank you" She said greatful for the help these two complete strangers were giving her. The clouds grew as she was helped inside the house, given food, what they could give was amazing. The burial urn was placed gently upon the bed, with it the chest, within view of Elsa herself. While Elsa continued to keep the gold urn within arms reach at all times, sometimes even cradling it in her lap as well.

She was confused at their actions, people she had never met before were helping her with their home, like they had with her aunt, and also with her sister. But it was confusing to her so she asked "Why are you helping me ? I dont even know you aside from being told to stop here."

"Well, for one thing, you need a place to sleep dry from the rain" said Ruth, Davids mother. As she spoke the sky opened up and the rain started falling quitee heavily "For another, you are not the first we have helped this week. You see, four days ago a young lady came to us, she was seeking the Dark One for something he had taken from her; I'm going to assume that was you." Elsa nodded "We had given her rest, and food while she waited out the rain."

David came in, soaking wet after stabling the muledeer as Ruth continued. "She mentioned she was from Arendelle, and said that should we see her or you, we were to give a proper nights rest. I am going to assume you got what you went for ?"

"Yes" Elsa replied after a moment of thought "I had to make a offer he could not refuse; he accepted, and forgot all about me, my aunt, Arendelle, even Anna. And he let me leave with this urn, that burial urn, and the chest."

"And he let you walk out unhindered ?" David asked as he dried his hair with a cloth his mother handed him.

"Yes; why ? Is something wrong ?" Elsa asked him

"The Dark One rarely lets anyone simply leave his castle without sending someone to hinder them in some way. I'd be aware of your surroundings when you leave for Mistviel Port tomorrow morning. Knowing the Dark One as I do, which is just so far, he will send thugs after you, maybe even killers." David explained

"I can handle myself pretty well in a fight ifI must do so." Elsa replied, even though she hated combat sh knew the fundimentals of it. Basically, defend yourself, if your enemy is trying to kill you, its you or him. Basically that helped her in most cases. But the thought of not getting away from Rumplestiltskin scot free made her slightly worried. But she did not let it show. If she had, then she'd be in trouble. So she asked "Mistviel Port ?"

David nodded "A port city not far from here were most traders dock their ships. If you like I can get a map and show where it is located from here."

"Yes, that will helpful, thank you" Elsa said. She wanted to get back to Arendelle, to home, to safety, with her aunt, and the burial urn. So she had to be on her guard until she was home. She knew that now, David was right; she had left his castle far too easily. Something was up. She was going to have to stay on her guard

**Mysthaven**

**25 December**

**Davids Farm**

**Dawn**

The rain poured for several hours, allowing Elsa to stay the night, try as she might, she was unable to sleep due to David words of the possible threat of danger to her.. At first light David was awake, as well as his mother, Elsa had never gone to bed until well after midnight when the rain had finally stopped. Keeping careful watch on the woods around the farm. Mercifully nothing happened during the night. Towards dawn Elsa managed to get some sleep, but her whiteknuckle grip on the gold urn written over in strange writing never let up.

Elsa finally fell asleep as the rainfall tapered off around two am. Which then allowed her to get some much needed rest once again, this time her dreams were filled with her happy family, her happy safe strong kingdom, and no more imp worrying her or her sister or aunts.

As morning broke through the grey clouds above, elsa was roused from a oddly thankfully peaceful sleep by David, the rain had long since ended during the night, the roads in some areas were washed out. But what confused Elsa the most was the manner of dress David had taken. But it was in his hands that got her undevided attention. "Are those ?"

"Yes, these swords were apparently made for you, or by you, it wasn't explained to me only that I was to give these two you by a hooded man. He said you would know exactly how to use them. I tried holding one of them, it felt rather unbalanced and too long for my taste." David explained holding out two pearlwhite steel swords that felt cool to the touch and yet stupidly light due to their length. Elsa for a brief moment was afraid to touch the swords in the case they'd break in her hands.

Sitting up in bed she took the twin swords, they glittered light sparkling glass at her touch. Both blades, though quite long, possibly longer than a normal longsword or even a greatsword, were lighter than she expected. She knew these swords just by their look and appearence alone. These swords were in the Arendelle Armory at all times, under lock and key!

Nobody knew who made the swords, or why they were made, nor did anyone know of what the twin swords were made of either. But somehow, the twin swords felt perfectly normal to her, as balanced as a sword should be in fact. Elsa was unable to explain it as she held both blades perfectly balanced. It felt weird to be honest, and yet. It worked out.

For long moments Elsa said nothing, holding the swords, "Thank you" She finally said after long mometns of quiet contemplation. Could she use these swords ? Did she have it in her to kill another man ?

"If you wonder of can you do it. Do how I was taught. Defend yourself, if someone is aiming to kill you, its either you, or them. Defend yourself, dont go out of your way to kill, if you must kill someone, dont dwell on it, dont let it cloud your heart. Defend yourself, even if it means having to kill another man." David said.

"Defend myself, I can threaten with my own magic if I must, but never have I used a sword." She had threatened Rumple with her magic, forcing a deal on him without use of his dagger, using knowledge of his search for his missing son. Something she could easily quickly put an end to if she desired to. But no, she let him live. And as a result, he had forgotten her, forgotten Arendelle, hell, he even forgot about the hat!

"But someone else did not forget about you." David said, At her look he explained "A man by the name of Prince Hans had made a deal with another man known as the Duke, and also some unsavory men concerning you. Hans wanted Arendelle for his own, to rule as he saw fit. Not, as he said it, mind you, 'some young woman with ice magic.' When he heard that you had gone missing, and Ingrid too had seemingly just fled Arendelle, so that gave Hans, with the Duke, the chance and they had invaded by sea, only to be forced out constantly by the Arendelle Navy, which in itself, was an insane task to even try to get past. From what I hear tell they even tried to barter a way in, it didn't work

"Nevertheless, Hans had taken control of Arendelle rather briefly before getting into a fight with a man named Mark. And Hans would never forget that fight either." As David explaoined it to her Elsa envisioned it all within her mind.

_"You are not the ruler of Arendelle" Mark said softly, his deep voice echoing in the throneroom calmly. Ulnaus barely fit in the throne room, the massive Eagle screeched loudly, Hans cast a glance the birds way, already thinking of the dinners the massive bird could make._

_Hans smirked and drew his sword. "You chalenge me, shipman ?" He asked to Mark, who did not draw a weapon. He did not need one. As a Master and Mentor assassin, even unarmed Mark was quite dangerous._

_"No, I do not challenge, I warn" Mark appeared completely unarmed as Hans screamed something and charged, Easily sidestepping the flailing princling, Mark blocked first one, then two, then three strikes before sending a solid left cross dead into Hans nose, splattering the appendage all over his face. Hans reeled back, his hand to his face screaming in white hot anger, as Mark repeated himself calm as ever. "You are not the ruler of Arenedelle. Nor will you ever be."_

_Hans screamed again and charged once more, this time slightly more clumsy then the last. Mark easily ducked out of reach and then struck solid with both fists into Hans side, sending the man smashing into the kings throne, breaking it apart. Hans pulled himself to his feet and ran at Mark a third time, Mark stopped him dead in his tracks, sending a solid uppercut dead into Hans chin, the man lifted a meter into the air and slammed down hard on his back. He was not getting back up from that strike._

_"Care for the fourth round... citizen Hans ?" Mark said softly, never breaking a sweat. Hans swore and started to get to his feet as armored soliders from the Whitesparrow entered with a young black haired woman. The woman held something in her hand, a hand crossbow ? Hans had barely two seconds to figure out the danger he was in before he passed out from the sleeper dart._

_The last voices he heard was a woman and man. "Take him away, the effects will last four days. Issue the pracliamation, anyone from the southern isles stepping foot in Arendelle are to be killed without mercy for they bring their own death upon them." The man said_

_"No that is too harsh, I suggest arrested and thrown into the dungeon" It was clearly Anna that spoke sense. As much as she wanted Hans dead, she could not bring herself to harm the man other then punching him in the gut, the face, heck even kicking him dead in the crotch_

_"I agree," Said the dark haired woman, "Death is too harsh, especially for a man that wanted to prove himself. No, I have a better plan. We will banish any and all from the Southern Isles from setting foot within Arendelle" Anna however seemed overjoyed and somewhat shocked at the sight of the dark haired woman._

Reality came back for Elsa as David finished explaining. "Hans was shipped out of the kingdom and the proclamaition was made public, But it wasn't Anna that made the proclaimation either, it was someone else. Someone who was queen before." David said

Elsa stared at him. "Queen before...you mean my aunt ?" No that was impossible Elsa mused, Ingrid was in the urn next to her, "No, that's not possible, Aunt Ingrid's in here." She tapped the sealed urn next to her on the bed gently. "So who could... Wait... Did you say that a dark haired young woman had shot Prince Hans ?"

"Yes, and by the sounds of things of what I was told, Anna is rather happy that the woman was there to begin with. Word of mouth says that upon your return you will be happy too. And not just to be home." David said. Elsa started thinking, who could make her so overjoyed aside from her aunt home safely ?

"Who ?" Elsa asked "Who aside from Anna would make me happy to see her again ?"

"That you will have to find for yourself. I can't answer that." David said, Elsa took the swords and they seemingly disappeared as she set them to her side, as if put into sheaths of some form. It was hard to explain. Thankfully David did not ask where the swords went as their hilts seemingly appeared out of thin air at her left side. Apparently they felt the most normal for the moment at that location.

Standing up Elsa picked up the urn as David helped her repack and properly place the burial urn into a saddlebag of a sort before getting his own horse and getting upon it. Elsa tried not to look at the animal as she absently rubbed her right arm below the elbow, remembering the intense pain. David never asked what was wrong. Instead the two left the farm and headed for Mystviel Keep

After a few hours David had to split off from Elsa, for he had things to attend to elsewhere. He pointed out the directions to Mystviel Keep and wished her luck on her journey. "I wish you the best of luck in finding what you lost." He said, Elsa smiled and thanked him before moving on.

**An hour later**

It started to rain. The trees were thicker here on both sides of the road. Unknown to Elsa there was a large group of men preying upon travelers in this stretch of roadway. Oddly so at that in long moments she just rode along on the muledeer for a long quiet hour, just listening to the rainfall around her, the hoofs of the muledeer hammering on the paved stones. All in all it was a peaceful afternoon.

But she thought carefully on David's words, it was a strong possiblity that she'd gotten away from Rumplestiltskin too easily. David was right, Rumple however knew that going after Elsa was a bad idea. He however still wanted the hat. He wanted his son. It was the only way to get his son back in fact. Finding the hat meant getting back his son.

But Elsa was scared of it greatly. So much so at what it could do. And after her aunt explained how it truly worked, it made Elsa even more scared of the thing. Ingrid had asked Anna to hide it somewhere, anywhere. And not tell them, heck give it to the trolls Anna even suggested it. Which oddly she had. Pabbie at her simple request to return it to where it properly belonged, in the care of the Apprentice. Had easily done so.

Elsa mused on what her sister had done, for her. She had snuck out, found Rumplestiltskin, the hat he wanted, and got herself home in one piece. And then apparently had made a deal with Rumple never to come to Arendelle, but he came anyway. Thankfully Elsa had found Ingrid and the urn holding her trapped the time Elsa was intending to destroy the urn, to keep herself safe, not knowing her mothers elder sister was trapped inside. Hans showed up intending on taking the urn, opening it, and trapping Elsa inside it

Amazingly, to Elsa's delight, her aunt froze Hans into a corpsicle after he made a reference of having a proper king on the throne, not some monster as he called her. Ingrid had taken offense at such a notion and when Hans asked who she was, she said simply to him, not a monster. And froze him solid. Her life saved, Elsa took Ingrid home, and it was there when Ingrid informed her who she really was. Which made Elsa all the more happier. And seeing the love between Anna and Elsa made Ingrid want to be part of their family as well.

Originally she had thought, with Anna having no magic, that Anna was the odd woman out, but instead Ingrid soon saw how the two acted, and how the kingdom adored them both and she could visibly see the love the two had for each other as sisters. That bond was strong.

A bond strong enough that Ingrid knew she could never break it, So she wanted to be part of it. Anna was right to contact Pabbie about her. Ingrid did not blame her for it. Naturally curious and scared Anna did the only thing she thought right, go to Pabbie about Ingrid and find out if what she said, being their mothers elder sister, was true or not. Pabbie said it was, but he had no idea what happened to her other then her mother wanted any mention of her removed.

Ingrid however met up with Anna as she too wanted to see Pabbie, she wanted his advice. The wise old troll gave both women their advice, and welcomed Ingrid home after many years, he said to give his regards to Elsa as well since she wasn't there. Ingrid mentioned teaching her, and Pabbie looked to Anna, as if asking the Princess for permission, which she gave, but she wanted Pabbie to make it known that if Ingrid tried to harm either of them, death would quickly follow Ingrid. Ingrid agreed, the two women then went back to Arendelle. It was then that Ingrid inqired about the hatbox and whence it came, and what it was for. Anna explained it.

That was when the trouble started. Elsa was mad about the truth of the hat being kept from her, but Ingrid insisted Anna was trying to help Elsa not harm, and once Ingrid had found out more of the hat and what it was able to do. Elsa was visibly shaken, and knew in her heart Anna did the right thing in keeping the truth about the hat from her.

Elsa shook her head, getting back to the present as a raindrop the size of the Whitesparrow landed on her forehead with a sudden PLIT, causing her to look up, as she did so more rain started falling in the loud sounds of water on rock. Within moments Elsa was drenching wet and barely able to see the road ahead or behind as she tried to shield her eyes from the heavy rainfall.

Barely able to see the road ahead Elsa found somet5hing of brief shelter under a rock outcrop, still barely able to see anything within feet of the brief shelter she had come upon she chose to wait out the storm, even though the cold never did bother her to begin with, Elsa huddlded on the ground her back to the rock as she watched, and waited, for the rain to stop. She had no idea how far she was from David's farm, possibly too far to try and make it back nice and dry. She looked the direction she was to go. Mystviel Keep, she found herself wondering what that port was like.

**25 December**

**Mysthaven**

**At that same moment**

"Where is she ?" Anna wondered aloud as she paced the main deck of the Whitesparrow, the largest ship in the Arendelle fleet, Anna was finding it hard to keep her excitement in, she had been reunited with her mother in Arendelle, and it was her mother that took down Prince Hans from the throne! Now there was serious catching up to do.

"She should be here soon. She has your instructions to see Prince James, and then see his brother David, I did not see if Ingrid was with her" Mark reported, the man had shed his sword seller outfit for his more comfortable and neatly fitting dark green hooded robes of the Brotherhood he belonged. "However, I traveled briefly in the rain, and more was coming, I barely got into the port here before the sky opened up behind me."

Idun smiled, Anna had explained everything to her, how Elsa had jumped to Ingrids defense, how Ingrid had been teaching Elsa how to properly control her magic, the stories Ingrid told them of when she was a child. How she wanted to be a part, a proper part, of their family. How Elsa had defended her aunt, only to get taken away in her place. And how Ingrid had gone after Elsa. And now according to Captain Wolfe, Elsa was freely roaming Mysthaven looking for something, and at this moment, most likely lost in the heavy rain.

"Elsa is most likely caught in the rain at this time, very well, have some towels and food ready for her arrival in my cabin." Idun said quietly, Mark nodded and gave the order. Elsas favorite meat. Fox, wasd to be cooked and made ready. Mark himself saw to it of the towels and also some extra blankets. Based on what he was told by Regina, who had three days to get important things tied off with deals and friends before going to the Dark One to live with him as a student, he had learned that Elsa had both of her aunts. And that Rumple had completely forgotten the girl. Heck if he showed up in Arendelle, they didn't even have the hat to begin with either.

Anna nodded at her mothers words, "Well, it is quite warm out too, so a little rain wont harm her. Besides she always liked storms!" She said with a smile "Worse that can happen is she gets totally soaking wet, then again she can turn that into ice too I think."

A few moments passed in thoughtful silence and as Mark stepped back into view and spoke did anyone begin to really worry "Shall I send a few of my men to look for her, she may have lost her way in the storm, and what is worse, she could be waylaid by bandits in the area as well." He had a notice of warning of bandits preying upon the Great Road that lead to the main core of the many kingdoms.

"I have a better idea" Idun said when Anna didn't say anything and was about to grab a sword to go after Elsa to bring her to the ship safely. Anna halted her movement and looked to her mother as Mark respectfully remained quiet where he stood. "Captain Wolfe, I have a request of you."

Mark stood ramrod straight as Idun spoke to him, bowing slightly he said in reply. "Name it my lady, what will you have me do ?"

"What I want is for you to do something for my daughter, Elsa is out there, somewhere, lost in the storm, or worse, set upon by bandits, I want you to go to her, bring her here, to safety, and then when she is here, with us, I want you to take us home to Arendelle. Can you do that ?" Idun said

Mark bowed deeply "My lady, Yes, I can do that, not just can I do it, I will do it, I will see to it personally that Elsa is safely aboard this ship and bound for Arendelle." he said with a very regal bow before leaving the vessel. Quickly disappearing into the crowd on the peir.

"I wonder how he does it" Anna said thoughtfully as she failed to see where Mark disappeared into the throng of people.

"Does what ?" Idun asked stepping up next ot Anna and looking out over the peir, it was only five years before when she and her husband had made landfall there to try and help Elsa with her magic, well, her husband wanted to remove it, but Idun wanted to find a proper teacher for her daughter. And it was on the way home when she made up her mind and wrote the letter. But did it ever arrive ?Amazingly enough it did. Elsa had found it right after Anna had left for Mysthaven. The bottle knocking gently against the dock at her feet.

Elsa had read the letter, but hid it, and waited until Anna had returned, and by that time she had forgotten completely about it after Ingrid and Anna began t oreally enjoy each others company as well. But now however, when Idun voiced the thought, Anna looked to her mother confused "What ? Was what found ?" Idun had no idea how to reply.

**Mysthaven**

**Along the road**

**At that same moment**

Slowly the rain let up from extremely heavy rainfall to lighter steady showering, it was still raining, but something that Elsa knew she could not avoid, she was however happy, she could at least see the road ahead by then, Elsa figured that getting wet was not something she could avoid at that point since she was already drenched as if she went swimming in her dress, so she decided to keep going as soon as the rather heavy rainfall subsided, a gentle or steady but light rainfall was fine, just so long as she could still see the road ahead. Too heavy and she'd halt again. The heavy rain finally let up only so far and thankfully it was enough, taking the muledeer by the antler, she was off once again. This time on foot, leading the muledeer at her side as they moved along.

It was a few minutes until Elsa felt something she had not felt since the night before, she felt eyes on her, But try as she might she was unable to see who was watching or even following thanks to the rain, absently her hand went to the swords at her side, something from that subtle movement made her feel safer. iI have never handled a sword of such beauty before, yet these feel as if I had made them to begin with./i Elsa was unable to explain the strange pair of glasslike white swords that were cool to the touch, David's hands were bound in thick gloves she had noticed when he gave her the swords.

Soaking wet from the rain Elsa failed to notice two men in thick raingear of palm fronds and straw hats were waiting for her to near them. Behind her six more men appeared similarly dressed as the rain fell. "Hold a moment traveler" Said one of the men calmly holding up a hand, Elsa halted a few paces off from him, looking at him confused.

"What do you want ?" Elsa asked him

"There is a toll to pay traveler, the roads are not safe, paying the toll will ensure safe travels for you." Said the first man to speak

"And if I dont have the means to pay ?" Elsa asked carefully.

"Then we will beat you and leave you for dead." Said the man in reply

Elsa smirked, iGreat, these guys must have taken lessons in stupidty with Prince Hans,/i Elsa thought. She shook her head "Then you made a mistake to stop me." She said

"A mistake ? One as pretty as yourself ? Ha! Dont make me laugh" The leader of the troupe replied to her. "Do what you want with her, but take your turns" He said to his men as Elsa stared at him horrified

The first man who had circled her to her left, who was by then directly behind her, jumped the muledeer and made to tackle Elsa, reacting quickly she brought out her lefthand sword and struck in defense, the man fell screaming, his left arm bleeding but still usible. Elsa had to grab her second sword as the first felt too unbalanced for her liking, with both swords ready in her hands she could fight. She saw trails of ice form on the wounded mans arm where her sword cut him.

It was that icy wound that angered even the leader of the group "Get her! I dont care what you do to her either!" They all ran at her at once, Elsa merely defended herself as best she could, within moments two men were dead, and her swords were stuck in their bodies. Forced to fight with only her fists she spluttered as one of the men threw a bottle at her, it was ale of some form, alcohol made Elsa both ill and very drunk very quickly. Thankfully however the rainfall helped slow the effect of the strong drink splashed into her face and hair. However thanks to the rainfall, Elsa was quickly soaked in thick rum

The road, by then extremely soaked with rainwater, was quickly becoming quite muddy if more then that. If it were possible to become more then mud. It was also close to a river. Ducking a strike Elsa lost her footing on the muddy ground and slipped, tripping up one man sending him dead into the drink with a splash, quickly scrambling to her feet in the ankle deep mud she could feel it creeping up her legs, coating her dress in dull brown clay. It was getting hard to move, and to focus. The alcohol was starting to take effect!

Blinking rapidly Elsa struggled to keep her feet, ducking another strke from one of the four remaining bandits she fell face down in the mud, reacting quickly, though starting to feel tired and sluggish she rolled onto her back, now drenched in both rainwater and brown claylike mud Elsa strugled to keep the men at bay. It was time to use her magic.

Or not.

She was drunk. Slam drunk, she hit the muddy road, dead on her back, barely able to focus. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, it did no good, she laid flat on her back in the thick mud, unable to move she laid still.

"Is she dead ?" One of the rtemaining nine bandits asked

"Go check!" The leader said, grabbing the one that asked and shoving him forwards towards Elsa.

Elsa faked it, laying in the thick mud flat on her back the man came up to her and looked her over. "I think she's dead" The bandit said, Elsa smirked and flicked a finger. Out of nowhere a shot of ice shaped like a fist hammered into the bandits crotch dead on. The man screamed a high pitch and fell backwards screaming.

As she was about to strike with her ice a second time at the man, another voice cried out, one she faintly recognised. Through her drunk fogged vision Elsa barely took notice of another man riding up on muledeer back and sending two of the remaining bandits flying into the trees. Elsa struggled to her feet, drenched in wet clay she had a hard time moving as it coated her dress completely and weighed her down greatly. Trying to focus on cleaning herself off, she took a wrong step and she too fell into the river with a colossal splash, for about a minute she thrashed crazily in the river, trying to stay above water as the mud was heavy on her already soaked body.

Breaking the surface she took in what was happening on the road, her muledeer that carried her aunts was safe, a little wet but safe at least. For the moment, she looked to the men fighting, another man had arrived, quite drunk apparently as she still smelled alcohol, but much stronger than before. The new man to arrive however seemed to reek of it as he fought so perfectly against the bandits, aside from the two she had killed at last.

Mark had taken the preemtive and drunk down two bottles of ale. And not just any weak stuff either, but the strongest stuff that could knock anyone down slam drunk. Mark had a high tolorance for it. And yet, this worked out better. Totally zirked, Mark took on the remaining bandits in a drunken free for all. Intending to keep the men's attention on himself as Elsa struggled in the water to get out of the river and to her muledeer.

Within moments of his arrival Elsa still in the river, everything was quiet, the bandits had been beaten, one of them was screaming holding his crotch in extreme pain, the others were just beaten to a pulp. Elsa swam to the edge of the river and grabbed at the rocky side to pull herself up and out. Sadly with her alcohol affected mind she was unable to do much if at all except weakly hold onto the riverbank and attempt to get herself out of the water.

She heard a hiccup, apparently the drunken man she might have known at some point was satisfied with how the fight turned out as he staggered over to the riverbank and hopped in next to her

"It is good to see you still alive my lady" Mark said, a joker to be sure, he was already soaking wet from the rain he had to go through to get to her inside an hour. It was actually only a few minutes to get to where Elsa had been waylaid. "Would you like a hand out of this river ?"

Elsa looked at him, at first not recognising him and then it clicked "Were'nt you the shwordsheller ?" She asked, her voice quite slurred as she spoke.

Mark raised an eyebrow recognising the strong slurr, and worse, the scent of alcohol all over her, _Oh... Fuck_ He thought, Elsa was drunk.

This was not good.

**25 December**

**Mysthaven**

**Mystviel Port**

**Twenty minutes later**

Mark pulled Elsa from the river as he got himself out first, drenching wet and still a bit muddy, Elsas ice slowly started to clean off her dress, her shoulders were clean and sparkly blue and it continued down her dress, her arms at the wrists were dirtiest, as well as past her waist. With Marks help she got cleaned up and mostly dry and back onto her muledeer and the two went into Mystviel Keep. It was time to go home.

As they neared the docks Elsa started to lean off the muledeer as the alchol and swim took hold, or rather the swim did, the smell of alcohol slowly faded and Elsa's ale laden mind started to wake up as she leaned off the muledeer briefly and jerked herself awake, turning quickly remembering the brief fight and getting drenched she looked at the man beside her and stared. "Do I know you ? You didn't have to save me, I could have handled myself back there"

"Sure, and hold in your alcohol ? Not really possible" Mark replied calmly, she was right, he didn't ihave/i to save her, he simply iwanted/i to save her in the first place.

The imp had been dealt with, he learned that much from Regina, he'd given the Friar a week to get her stuff together, make all goodbyes and whatnot before moving in with him as his student, which meant Elsa was indeed free and clear to return home peacefully for once. And the best part, Rumplestiltskin would never bother them again, and the hat was safely in the hands of the Apprentice at Anna's request. So at that moment Elsa had no idea the hat was long out of Arendelle for once the way it should be.

They soon came to a halt within the town near a stable and for a moment Elsa was hesitant to dismount from her muledeer, she finally spoke up softly "David mentioned that someone important wanted to see me aside from my sister Anna, who did he mean ?" There was no one else whom she could see to make her happy wasn't there ?

"I think you will need to find out for yourself" Mark replied calmly, he held up a hand to help her off the muledeer before helping her with the two urns and the strange chest. He never asked what was inside, he knew in the back of his mind who the urns contained.

Elsa dismounted the muledeer with Marks help and went into the city, carring the pale gold urn containing her aunt Ingrid in her hands in a white knuckle grip. Practically hugging the urn close to her chest, afraid to loose sight of it it seemed. Mark noticed this and said "Hey, Elsa, please, relax, nothing is going to harm you, or your family ever again, trust me on that. Anna's waiting for you on the Whitesparrow right now, along with someone extremely important to you both. I was asked to bring you to them safely. And that is just what I am going to do" Mark carried the burial urn and small chest containing Helga's heart while Elsa carried the urn that contained Ingrid.

It took a bit, but his words rang true, She never relaxed her grip on the urn fully however but she did still relax a bit so her fingers didn't appear broken or white knuckled as she held the urn close. "You're right" She said at long last. "I cannot be stressed out like this, you say Anna is on my falgship with someone important ?" She asked Mark

Mark didn't say a word as they came to the dock where the gangplank to the Whitesparrow waited. He waited for her to go up the gangplank first, Elsa, barefoot, scampered up the gangplank, ahh! This was familar territory for sure! Now who was ? Her heart stopped when she heard that voice.

"Elsa ?" Elsa turned at the sound, Impossible. She stared, slackjawed. Her mother, Queen Idun, stood near the captains cabin door. "Is that really you ?"

Elsa choked on her own breath, handing the urn to Mark who gracefully held it she darted to her mother, shouting a word she hadn't said in five years "MOMMA!" Elsa crashed into her mother, and the two women hugged tightly, Elsa was crying tears of joy as was her mother holding her close as Anna came into view. Elsa saw Anna standing a few feet away and reached a hand to her to join them in a hug. They were back together again.

After a moment Idun pulled Elsa to arms length "My little girl... Elsa, you've grown up to be a beautiful woman" She said, a bright smile on her face as she gently wiped a tear from Elsas face.

Elsa smiled "Anna helped me Momma, she showed me how to do it! I didn't have to hide in my room like we thought, I just had to embrace my magic, its who I am." she said, Idun smiled and hugged her daughter again. A few moments passed and Mark cleared his throat, which then Elsa remembered he carried the two urns and the chest. "I nearly forgot, Momma, can we go into the cabin ? There is something important I need to do"

It was then that Anna asked "Where's Aunt Ingrid ? Did she find you ?"

"She found me yes, but... she took my place in it." Elsa said softly, "I promised her I'd set her free once we're through with the imp once and for all"

"And ?" Anna pressured her sister slightly, just so.

"Regina helped, she stayed with him, and he dealed right into my own hand so to speak. He wont be bothering Arendelle anymore." Elsa said as Mark stepped forwards and handed her the pale gold urn

Idun saw it, a tear slid from her eyes as she put a hand to her mouth, remembering what happened in the past. It was her fault, all of it. She had just barely gotten Helga's heart from her sisters shattered body before it had been touched by the ice magic. But now. Elsa seemed stronger, more magical. And if Ingrid willfully took her place in the urn, that meant Ingrid truly did not mean to kill Helga! So she asked softly "Elsa, where is my sister ?"

Elsa gently took the urn from Mark and held it steady, turning to her mother "Aunt Ingrid is safe, she asked me to trap her in here, to take my place and get to freedom, but I promised her I'd set her free."

Idun nodded, she motioned then for Elsa to go first into the cabin that was normally reserved for Mark. Steping into the room, Anna, her mother, and Mark in tow, Elsa went to the rug in the middle and opened the urn, tilting it gently onto its side as her aunt poured out in white liquid, Elsa shivered, remembering briefly the feeling of turning into that same goop but of blue.

Ingrid reformed on the floor of the captains cabin as Elsa turned to Mark, trading the urn for the burial urn and chest containing her aunts heart and remains she said to him softly "Weight it, and when we're in the middle of the deepest point of the sea, drop it over the side. No more shall it haunt us."

Mark nodded, he took his leave as Idun rushed to her sisters side crying out her sisters name joyfully. "Ingrid!" the two women hugged each other tightly, when Ingrid saw Idun alive and well when Elsa had said she had passed away at sea, well, this was a miracle for sure!

Reaching up a shaky hand to her sisters face Ingrid said softly in disblief. "Idun... is it really you ?" Idun nodded as she gently wiped her sisters tears.

"Yes, Ingrid, its me. What I said in the past, I was scared, It was my fault. I am sorry I trapped you in the urn." Idun started to apologise to her sister but Ingrid stopped her.

"No, Idun, what happened happened, we can't go back on it, and lets not dwell on it, We're together again, that is what counts." Ingrid said hugging Idun tightly, Idun nodded, the two hugged, tears came to the former Queens eyes as she held her sister again. They broke apart

"If only Helga were here with us, we could be together again." Idun said softly.

"Momma, she can be. I learned about something, someone actually, taught me something important." Elsa said, looking to her sister who was smiling bright as Elsa motioned Mark to bring the urn and chest forwards. "I learned, that love can remove barriers, overcome fear. Unite families." As she spoke she held out the chest to her mother and aunt. Opening it to show them the heart still beating within. "This is Aunt Helga's heart. He saved it, he saved her from certain death, to fulfill a promise"

Ingrid stared, how did she know of that promise ? Then she smiled ad nodded, "That's right. At the last second, I heard everything, Dastan was there, wasn't he ?"

Idun nodded. "He was there yes, but he said he may have been too late, her heart he was barely able to save, but not her body. Her body is gone, frozen, broken." Idun said softly as her older sister hugged her tight.

"Her body is in this. The imp had both. But I forced a unique deal on him. And I think it worked." Elsa replied she opened the burial urn, gently tilting it over she poured out her aunts frozen broken icy body. It reformed due to some magic, some form of powerful magic, the love of family, true love, Love that thawed. The only problem was, she still needed her heart.

Elsa held out the small box holding the heart to her mother "I think you should both bring your sister, our aunt, back, together. It just takes a little love." She said, at this point Idun stared at her eldest daughter, a grown woman, yet, giving the knowledge of a young child.

Idun nodded, "You're right Elsa," She said, hugging her daughter close, pulling Anna into the hug as Ingrid watched, a soft loving smile on her face. "fear is our enemy, but love thaws." Idun reached to her sister, Ingrid took her youngest sisters hand in hers, and held their sisters heart together as they knelt over their frozen sisters body in the captains cabin of the ship.

The heart of Helga barely touched her body before it was sucked into its proper place with a soft heartbeat. Seconds passed and Helga sat up with a sudden gasp of air clutching her chest as she stared at her sisters in shocked confusion. "Idun, Ingrid ? Where are ? What happened ?"

Ingrid broke down and hugged her sister tightly, crying as she did so, tears of joy. Helga, at first shocked, soon quickly realised what happened and hugged Ingrid just as tightly, also crying with joy as Idun joined them. They were together again. After so many years apart, they were back together once more.

Elsa stood by her sister, their hands together, Anna smiled as Elsa tried not to cry seeing their mother so happy. And after so long! Five years since either of them saw their mother, and yet their father gave his life to save hers! And she was a prisonor of Weselton all that time!

Finally Helga noticed the two girls, and saw the startlingly resemblence between Elsa and Idun, softly she asked "Idun, Who are these young ladies ?"

Idun smiled, "Helga, I'd like you to meet your nieces, Elsa, and Anna, they are my daughters. Girls, this is your aunt Helga, my older sister. You already know Ingrid."

Helga smiled and reached out to Elsa then to Anna as Elsa hugged her aunt tight, Helga held both girls close as Ingrid and Idun stood to the side; within moments the happy family was in a massive group hug.

Finally after a few moments of reunion, Elsa asked the ultimate question, "Momma, can we go home ?" She wanted to be back in Arendelle, she wanted to be home again.

Idun nodded "Yes" she replied "lets go home" she nodded to Elsa who qent to the door of the cabin and opened it, Mark stood outside it waiting for his orders.

Seeing Elsa in the doorway he stood at attention waiting for her orders. "Are we ready to sail ?" Elsa asked

"At your word" Mark replied calmly; his first mate stood not far off near the helm. Soon it'd be time for the fun to begin indeed. But he waited for her orders.

"Then let us away, it is time to return home. We're ready. Sooner the better." Elsa said, Mark nodded

"At once my Queen" he said bowing, giving off as he turned from her a swift whistle as an eagle flew into view as the crew worked quicker and more efficent then before. Men scurried about getting the ship ready to sail. Within moments they were off.

**Four Days Later**

**29 December**

**Aevon Sea between Mysthaven and Arendelle**

It had been a long time in coming, Elsa standing at the rail looking out to the open sea unafraid. Her mother's apparent death made her scared of the sea. But with her mother alive and home. Along with both of her aunts. Elsa chose to face her fears. And so it found her watching the sun slowly set in the west.

Mark stepped into view, he had carefully wrapped in heavy linien cloth the urn that held Elsa at one point not too long ago. It was weighted with lead and broken glass. "It is ready my queen" He said calmly stepping up beside her. He held the wrapped item out to Elsa. "I think it best that you do the honor of making sure it is never seen again."

"As much as I want to freeze and break this cursed urn to pieces" Elsa said ruefully as she took hold of the urn, her heart hammered as she held it. She had thrown snowballs before, which had given her a pretty good arm at the time. "Are we at the deepest point ?"

Mark nodded "Yes We are four days from Mysthaven, and with this wind, we'll be four more days before we reach home."

Elsa smiled, "As much as I once thought my magic a curse. This is far worse then any curse upon a person" She reeled back to throw it "This urn can take its curse to the bottom of the sea!" She said, throwing it out over the water as hard as she could.

Idun watched from the poop deck near the helm as the urn went flying into the sea by her daughters hands. A good throw, Idun smiled, she was happy, she had Ingrid and Helga back in her life after her mistake so long ago. And Elsa and Anna had her back in their life as well after being a prisoner of Weselton for seven years. Oddly she was treated kindly. Unlike most prisonors of other countries.

Lost in her thoughts she was unaware that Mark came and stood next to her looking out to sea off the front of the ship. "My lady, I have a request I should like to ask of you." Mark said softly.

Idun turned towards him, already thinking in her head what he was about to ask. She could see the longing in his eyes as she followed his gaze which briefly locked on her daughter's smiling face, the smile on Elsas face grew brighter when Idun and her eldest daughter locked eyes. "I am also wishing to ask you a question Captain" Idun replied softly

"Ask it my lady" Mark replied as he took the helm and guided the ship through choppy water skillfully

"Can you keep her safe ? Can you love her like a mother loves her child ?" It was hard questions yes, but they all made sense

Mark thought a long moment before nodding "Yes, I can keep her safe, it is not like I have much choice in the matter my lady. Certain... people have requested I keep Elsa and Anna both safe from harm. It is... rather complicated. But they expressed most urgent that the royal family be properly protected. But there is only so much a single man can do" Mark replied. He had a dream the night before Idun arrived in Arendelle, a woman, who looked like Elsa's great grandmother Queen Amber the second but was in fact Elsa's ancestor Queen Elena who spoke to him.

"If you can keep Elsa safe, and happy, then what you are about to ask me. I approve" Idun said simply.

Mark was taken aback, it was that simple ? If he could keep Elsa safe by all means possible. He could court her ? "My lady, Yes, I was indeed curious of what you required of one who shall we say, is struck by both beauty and love. Elsa is a beautiful young woman. Any man would try to take advantage of her merely to obtain a place of power"

"Do you desire such power ?" Idun asked

"No" Mark replied truthfully, as the ship came to calmer waters he let the helm t othe helmsman and the two stepped to the rail watching the sunset beneath the waves. "If at all possible my lady. I merely wish to obtain one thing she does hold."

"And that is ?"

"My heart" Mark replied, "It is true, I am afraid to tell her, to ask her if she would like to become my wife. I am afraid of what she will say, I do not wish for power or a heir, nor money or trappings that come with the places of power in any kingdom. I simply want... her. Elsa. Your daughter. Being a queen is merely a bonus, it is who she is inside, A pure heart, a kind young woman." He explained the fight on the road to Idun then. "When we touched, I felt as if I was struck with energy unlike any other. A longing you may say. A longing to be with her for the rest of my days, come what may"

Idun smiled "Very good then. I approve. You may ask Elsa, you've my blessing." She told Mark. Who smiled and with a deep bow he excused himself to the various cabins belowdeck. Elsa was normally in the captains cabin, as it was automatically made the royal cabin when any of the Arendelle royals were aboard. And yet right that second, Elsa was down below deck, with Ingrid, practising her magic.

Mark saw how Ingrid taught, and briefly for a scant moment saw a bond begin to form, a bond between family, Elsa and Anna both took to Helga and Ingrid, their mothers older sisters like ducklings to water. Ingrid taught Elsa how to control her magic, and Helga told them both stories of growing up in the castle. Mark saw that Elsa was happy for once, truly happy to so far that she was not hunted, feared or hated. Or even having bad dreams of the urn or anything else. He also saw two ribbons, one in Ingrids hands, the other in Helga's hair colored pale gold. He briefly remembered the ribbon in Idun's own hair

After a brief moment of conversation with Ingrid and Helga, Mark noticed something between the three women when Elsa spotted him. Helga gave her niece a nod, as if saying to speak with Mark, Elsa nodded and hugged her aunt, Mark could barely make out the words of 'thank you' from Elsa, thanks for what made Mark wonder before Elsa went over to him, then linking her arm with his the two left the cabin and wandered the ship.

Finally after a few minutes, they were alone on the prow of the Whitesparrow, looking out to sea. Mark spoke first. "I have a question for you my Queen. If you will hear it ?"

"I too have a question for you as well Captain Wolfe" Elsa replied. Her question though concerned how close they were to home, and then some. Mark looked to her to speak first. So she asked. "Am I a good Queen ?"

"Yes" Mark said after a long moment, "The kingdom misses you. They wonder where you went, and where Ingrid went when she fled to find you in the dead of night, when your mother came home, and Hans was dethroned before he was even crowned king to begin with. The kingdom still missed iyou/i, their Queen."

Now it was time for his question when she smiled and thanked him. So he thought it over carefully and asked. "What do you look for in a man ?"

A odd question to be sure. Elsa thought carefully and replied "What do I look for in a man ? Well for one thing, if I were to find a man. I'd seek one that does not seek power, my throne for example, I'd want it to be out of love. Not as a grab for power or an arranged marraige. Why ?" Her sapphire blue eyes searched his deep green eyes.

"What if that man stood before you, and asked you the same question ?" Mark asked.

"I'm sorry, Captain Wolfe, I am confused. What are you trying to say ?" Elsa said, completely confused as to what Mark was asking.

"What I am trying to ask, My Queen, is this. I desire not power nor money, nor an heir, I simply desire to be by your side. If you will have me, would you become my wife ?"

Her answer he did not have to fear, her heart hammered as before he was even finished speaking she leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss dead on his lips. Saying softly, "You saved my life, twice now. I cannot think of anyone better, or more wanting me out of love other then yourself. But I must ask you. Do you truly not seek power ?"

"No." Mark replied "All I seek, is to be at your side, if you'll have me."

Elsa smiled and hugged him, whispering softly into his ear "Yes, a thousand times, yes." Marks heart soared. Now he just needed to make the engagement proper with a ring. But he knew that could be a while. Finally Elsa asked after watching the stars a few moments. "Do you think she is happy ?"

"Who ?" Mark asked

"Aunt Ingrid, she has her sisters, my mother, and Aunt Helga both back." Elsa replied, still thinking it a dream, this was going to take a lot of getting used to.

"I think so. When I first met her, she felt... off... to me in a way. You remember the story of those with the ablity to see and decern friend from foe ?" Mark asked

"You mean that Brotherhood, of a sort ? The Hidden Protectors ?" Elsa asked him in reply.

"Yes, them I suppose" Elsa looked at him confused as he explained, "When I first met Ingrid, that first time a month ago, when you brought her back to the kingdom. I saw, briefly, darkness surrounding her, like an evil aurora of a sort that clouded her true self. It wasn't greed, it was loss. But now, after four weeks, looking to her again instead of a dark aura about her I instead find brilliant blue, a friend, no more darkness."

"Did I manage to do it ? Embrace my magic, and redeem Aunt Ingrid ?" Elsa explained what Ingrid had confided in both girls the day Elsa learned the truth of the hat, telling them the full truth, leaving nothing out. She wanted to be loved, part of a family again. Even if it meant leaving Arendelle forever. But niether Anna nor Elsa would permit her to leave. But now that she had both sisters alive and back in her arms after so long.

"I think, with her sisters alive and well, and you and Anna taking to them both like moths to lamplight, yes. Ingrid is happy, darkness no longer clouds her heart or mind." Mark said, giving Elsa a playful look. "Now, if you dont mind my asking. Could you thaw my heart ?" Elsa did just that as Mark picked her up bridal style and carried her to his cabin, it was going to be an eventful four more days to Arendelle for certain!

The End


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